Suspected mental health issues played a role in a judge's decision regarding the time a Granisle man convicted of second-degree murder must wait before he can apply for parole.
Robert Arthur Vernon Reeves, 42, was found guilty of the offence for stabbing to death his mother's husband, Brian Fraser Baker, 61.
Given the opportunity to say how long they thought Reeves should be ineligible for parole, jury members were divided with one recommending 10 years, four 15 years, two 20 years and nine making no suggestion. The maximum is 25 years.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lance Bernard settled on 10 years and in reaching his decision noted Reeves' mother suffers from schizophrenia and although he's never been formally diagnosed with the disorder, suspected Reeves also likely suffers from a form of the ailment.
Reeves had been living with his mother and Baker in their home in the small community west of Prince George when, according to her testimony during the trial, during the evening of April 26, 2009 an argument broke out in the kitchen.
Reeves was agitated because she was using a pot lid he did not think was clean enough and he was worried he was about to be kicked out of the home. Reeves put his hands around her neck for about 45 seconds before Baker stepped in and admonished him to be kinder to his mother.
She recalled seeing Reeves pick up a kitchen knife and shortly after found Baker lying on the floor of his office and, after finding the cord to the home's phone had been cut, fled to a neighbour's home to call 911.
RCMP surrounded the home and negotiated Reeve's surrender. During that time, Reeves "talked about the torturous pain he suffers from chips that were implanted in his body by the CIA or similar organization, and he explained that he stabbed Mr. Baker because the torture got to be too much for him," Bernard said in a reasons for sentence reached July 3.
Since he's been incarcerated, Reeves has shown a willingness to get treatment, "and his recent successes in this regard tend to moderate any lingering concerns there may be in relation to the risk of harm he may pose to others in the future."
In their victim impact statements, Baker's sister and brother-in-law described him as "loving, generous, mild-mannered, non-violent, and kind" and was "very supportive of his wife through her mental illness, and he tried to be similarly supportive of Mr. Reeves."
Reeves sentence begins from the day of the crime, which means he can apply for parole as early as April 26, 2019. But while he can apply, it's not a given Reeves will receive parole and full parole comes only after successful completion of day parole which carries strict conditions.
It was the second time the case had been taken to trial. In April 2011, a jury in Smithers also found Reeves guilty of second degree murder but, in May 2013, the B.C. Court of Appeal found the trial judge failed to adequately explain to the jury the difference between murder and manslaughter and a new trial was ordered. The judge in the first trial also found 10 years appropriate.
