The first-degree murder trial for Ekene Dillichuwu Anigbo, who the Vancouver Police Department named one of B.C.’s most dangerous gangsters in 2021, continued this week in Kelowna Supreme Court.
Anigbo has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 57-year-old Kathleen Richardson of Naramata.
On June 9, 2021, Richardson was found dead in her home, where the Crown said she was restrained and shot twice in the left side of her face, killing her. Two years later, in April 2023, Anigbo and suspected co-conspirator Jalen Falk were arrested in connection with her death.
Crown prosecutor Emily Yao told Justice Alison Barnes on day one of the trial that they are seeking to have Anigbo convicted for first-degree murder either as the person who allegedly first shot Richardson, as actively aiding in her killing or that he and Falk acted together in the alleged murder. Yao said the Crown will present evidence showing the alleged actions by Anigbo were in relation to the retrieval of lost drugs and money related to a 2021 double homicide perpetuated by Richardson’s son, as well as the fact that Anigbo was aware that a potential murder could have occurred.
Richardson was the mother of Wade Cudmore, one of two men found guilty of first-degree murder in the May 2021 killings of Erick and Carlos Fryer. Cudmore was arrested one day after his mother’s body was found in her Naramata home in June 2021. Cudmore was found guilty following trial and is serving life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 18 years.
Cudmore’s associate, Anthony Graham, disappeared shortly after the killings. Prince George RCMP issued a missing person report for Graham in 2021. He remains at large and wanted.
Crown called Dr. John Doyle to the stand on Mar. 10, as an expert witness and the doctor who performed the autopsy of Richardson on June 14, 2021. The witness described the injuries observed on the victim’s body.
Doyle told the court that Richardson had zip ties secured in a locked position “snug” around each wrist. On the right wrist, a second zip tie had been threaded through the first one but remained open. On Richardson’s left wrist, Doyle testified he observed some bruising on the back of the wrist and that a zip tie had been fed through the zip tie around the victim’s wrist, and both were in the locked position.
The witness explained that Richardson had grey duct tape wrapped tightly twice around her eyes and wrapped in 10 loops around her neck and chin, with the residual roll from the tape sitting to the left of Richardson’s chin.
The victim had two gunshot wounds to the left side of her face, both of which Doyle told the court would have been fatal on their own. The witness explained that due to stippling and grey discolouration to the left of Richardson’s mouth near the second of the gunshot wounds, he could confirm the shots were taken at close range. Further examination and x-rays found no exit wounds and two metal projectiles.
Doyle said Richardson had bruises present on her body and a laceration on one of her arms, injuries that were considered non-fatal.
Falk pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Richardson and was sentenced in February to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 16 years. The sentencing hearing of Falk has not been reported on due to publication bans that were partially lifted last week following a petition from the CBC.
The trial of Anigbo is scheduled to take place over 86 days.
~With files from Ty Lim