Third trial ordered for New Zealand man found guilty of murdering Alberta wife in B.C.’s Interior

A third trial will be held for a former New Zealand man found guilty of the first-degree murder of his Canadian wife while the pair vacationed in B.C.’s Southern Interior 10 years ago.

British Columbia’s highest court says a new trial should be held for Peter Beckett because the trial judge was wrong to admit certain evidence and the Crown’s submissions to the jury were improper.

Beckett, now in his mid-60s, was charged with the murder of his wife, Laura Letts of Alberta, when she drowned as the couple boated on Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke in August 2010.

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The pair was on vacation from their home near Westlock, located about 85 kilometres north of Edmonton.

Beckett’s first trial ended with a hung jury and his second trial concluded in 2017 with the guilty verdict.

1:18 Closing arguments wrap up in Kelowna for man accused of drowning his wife

But the B.C Court of Appeal says the finding was not completely unreasonable — so rather than order an acquittal, it has sent the matter for a third trial, with a date still to be determined.