An Okanagan man arrested for murdering his wife has died before his case has finished winding its way through the court system.
According to an online obituary, Kevin Costin died Feb. 3 at Victoria General Hospital.
In November 2015, RCMP were called to a West Kelowna fire and discovered 37-year-old Hazel Budiongan’s body inside the home.
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Her death and the fire were treated as suspicious at the time.
Budiongan’s husband, 57-year-old Costin, was arrested approximately a year and a half after her death. In addition to a second-degree murder charge, he was accused of arson and causing an indignity to human remains.
In an email, the BC Prosecution Service said the matter had been set for trial with jury selection set to begin on May 3.