WARNING: This story contains graphic details and is not suitable for all readers.
Rocky Rambo Wei Nam Kam has been found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder for the 2017 killings of two people inside their Vancouver home.
Kam had pleaded not guilty in connection with the deaths of respected occupational therapist Dianna Mah-Jones, 64, and her retired husband Richard Jones, 68.
The question before Justice Laura Gerow was not whether Kam killed Mah-Jones and Jones, but whether it was planned and deliberate.
Kam had admitted to the slayings and described them in detail on the stand.
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“His conduct was incomprehensible,” stated Gerow in her ruling.
“Mr. Kam’s actions before, during and after (the killings) were goal orientated.”
Gerow said Kam’s attack was controlled, not frenzied, and that his motive was not robbery or theft.
She added that his explanation about why he bought a hatchet, gloves and a baseball hat two weeks before the killings were not believable.
Kam slashed Jones more than 100 times, and cut Mah-Jones’ throat, then ate a peach and drank some milk from the couple’s fridge before leaving their home.
Gerow ruled that the couple’s extensive injuries, inflicted with significant force spoke to intent.
The court heard that Kam was obsessed with violent video games, including testimony from clinical psychologist Dr. Edward Shen, who said he may have been in a “gaming consciousness.”
Kam’s defence pushed the theory that the accused thought he was in one of those video games at the time of the killings.
Prosecutors rejected that theory, arguing that Kam had planned the killing in advance. Crown said Kam had bought weapons, hid before both attacks and deliberately dumped evidence.
Crown had shown evidence that Kam had done internet searches for crime scene cleanup, tasers and drugs to knock people out, suggesting it was part of his preparation for the crime.
Gerow also rejected defence’s video game argument, noting that during his eight-hour police investigation he remained grounded in reality.
Kam will be back in court on June 18 for sentencing.
— With files from Rumina Daya and Sean Boynton