The murder trial of a B.C. gangster continues in Kelowna Supreme Court this week.
Ekene Anigbo is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of Naramata woman Kathleen Richardson.
On June 9, 2021,Richardson, 57, was found dead in her home. According to Crown prosecutors, she was discovered restrained and shot twice in the left side of her face. Two years later, in April 2023, Anigbo and suspected co-conspirator Jalen Falk were arrested in connection with her death.
Falk pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced on Feb. 24 to life without the possibility of parole for 16 years.
Anigbo’s trial by judge started on March 3.
A witness was called to the stand during proceedings on April 27. With a shaky voice, they recalled the day of Richardson’s death. The witness’ identity is protected under a publication ban and will be referred to as AP in this article.
AP told the court they had dealings with two men, a black man identified as M1 and a smaller white man identified as M2. The witness told Justice Beams that they had met these two men, as they had information on the whereabouts of Wade Cudmore, Richardson’s son, who M1 and M2 were searching for.
AP drove M1 and M2 to Richardson’s house on June 9, 2021, just as the sun was rising, and remained outside in the vehicle while the two men entered the residence wearing gloves, dark clothing with hoods up, and carrying a backpack.
They told the court the two men emerged from Richardson’s residence “panicked” and “in a rush.” The witness recalled M2 going back into the residence to retrieve the backpack that had been left behind. At the same time, AP testified that M1 walked down to the beach and threw something into the water, but they weren’t sure what the object was.
After both men returned to AP’s vehicle, the witness told the court that M2 said, “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that.”
AP recalled M1 responding from the back seat, stating, “No details.” AP told the men they had somewhere safe for them all to go and told M1 and M2 to duck inside the vehicle as they drove away from Richardson’s home.
The trio left Naramata and headed to Penticton. AP stopped at an acquaintance’s house, where they testified that M1 and M2 stripped down to their underwear and burned the clothes they had been wearing that day.
Richard’s son Cudmore was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years behind bars in November 2024 for the double homicide of brothers Carlo and Erick Fryer.
The brothers’ bodies were found by hikers off a logging road near Naramata in May of 2021.
Cudmore is co-accused in the murders with a man named Anthony Graham, whose location is currently unknown. Police from Prince George issued a missing person report for Graham in 2021. Graham remains missing.
No arrests were initially made in connection with the homicide of the Fryer brothers after they were found, but police said at the time their deaths were likely associated with gang conflict.
Anigbo’s trial is expected to continue through to June.