Accused in Marpole double murder talks about obsession with violent video games at trial

WARNING: This story contains graphic details and is not suitable for all readers

The man on trial for the 2017 murder of a Vancouver couple returned to the stand Wednesday, one day after admitting in court to stabbing two victims.

This time, Rocky Rambo Wei Nam Kam served as somewhat of an expert on video games, which is the crux of defence’s case.

Kam has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the brutal slayings of 68-year-old Richard Jones and 64-year-old Dianna Mah-Jones, whose bodies were found in their home near West 64th Avenue and Hudson Street on Sept. 27, 2017.

2:26 Defence argues double murder suspect Rocky Rambo Wei Nam Kam had mental disorder

According to defence, Kam’s life had been consumed by video games such as Skyrim, an online game in which a player commits violent killings to advance levels.

The 29-year-old told the court he was spending 15 hours a day playing video games and reading comics on his computer after he moved from Calgary to Vancouver in the summer of 2017.

Defence counsel Faisal Alamy created his own Skyrim character to show the court how the game works. Kam gave a play-by-play of the game’s different levels, and at one point laughed a little when his lawyer’s character struggled to kill a woman.

“I’m going to assume your weapon is not good, your skills not so high and your control is not very good,” Kam said.

Defence says Kam suffered from a mental disorder when he attacked Mah Jones and her husband in September 2017.

On Tuesday, Kam described the killings in detail, saying he used a hatchet and pocket knife purchased at Canadian Tire on his victims.

Defence says the attack was random, there is no motive, and Kam does not have a violent history.

The only logical explanation appears to be that the accused thought he was in a video game when he killed the couple, according to defence.

Kam said he played Skyrim for four or five years while attending school in Calgary. Kam graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Calgary.

In addition to Skyrim, Kam played games such as Dishonored, a game whose central character is an assassin, Red Alert, Mass Effect and Rance.

Kam’s trial took a several month break in October when the judge agreed to adjourn when the defence asked for more time to obtain psychiatric evidence for the accused.

1:33 Double homicide trial sees video evidence of murdered couple’s final hours

The court has previously seen video evidence that the Crown says shows Kam buying the hatchet along with a baseball cap and gloves, about two weeks before the murder. Crown has said the items were purchased with the intent to kill someone.

Kam has admitted buying the items, but it is unclear why he did.

A DNA expert has also testified that Mah-Jones’ blood was found on the inside hinge of Kam’s glasses and his DNA was found under Maj-Jones’ fingernails.

—With files from Simon Little