Wednesday March 18, 2015 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST INCLUDED
Accused convicted of murder By Barry Kerton
BARRHEAD LEADER
A former Barrhead resident has been found guilty of murder in the death of a Salmon Arm man. A jury found Norman John Jerrett, 48, guilty of second-degree murder of Valentine Degenhardt on Thursday, March 5 at Court of Queens Bench in Edmonton after acquitting him on the more serious charge of first-degree murder. On July 19, 2013, Degenhardt was reported missing when he failed to contact his wife after visiting family and friends in Barrhead. Hikers came across Degenhardt’s Jeep about 200 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, off Highway 32 between Whitecourt and Swan Hills in early November of 2013. Police then conducted a thorough ground search of the area, aided by information from the hikers and interviews from other people of interest, as well as human remains discovered, which the medical examiner identified as Degenhardt. Although Degenhardt was a Salmon Arm resident, he spent a lot of time travelling between his home and a rental property he had in Morinville, and he often stopped in Barrhead. It was during one of these stops in Barrhead in July 2013 that Crown prosecutor Greg Gudelot alleges the murder took place. Jerrett testified that he shot Degenhardt in selfdefence after being woken up by his dog and finding a masked man with a hammer in his home. His testimony differed from the Crown’s version of events. The Crown alleged that Jerrett shot Degenhardt with a 9-mm handgun which he purchased illegally from another drug dealer. Gudelot said Jerrett then broke into Degenhardt’s Morinville rental home to steal thousands of dollars worth of drugs. In his testimony, Jerrett admitted he did steal drugs from Degenhardt’s property, but it was a last-minute attempt to stage a break-in. Jerrett was also found guilty of interference with a body, break and enter and theft, possession of a prohibited firearm without a licence and four counts of possession of controlled drugs for trafficking. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24.
EVAN BUHLER/OBSERVER
Birds of play
Lucy Gilfillan, right, leads Xyla Joy, Joshua Gilfillan, Aurelia Wilson and Sabrina Wilson, her ‘baby birds,’ to their nest during Runaway Moon Day at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery on Saturday, March 14. Runaway Moon Day gave families a chance to create art with artist Cathy Stubington.
Crash claims woman’s life
Trans-Canada Highway: Police investigate cause of fatal collision.
By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
A woman died in a three-vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway just east of Sorrento Monday. Police report that the woman, a 55-year-old Sorrento resident, was fatally injured upon impact when one of two trucks in the crash collided with her small car. A man driving one
of the trucks suffered minor injuries. The crash took place about 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Hilltop Road and the highway. The Trans-Canada was partially closed for several hours while RCMP investigated the cause of the crash. The name of the deceased is being withheld until family are notified.
This week A mudslide took out a barn along Grandview Bench Road on Saturday. Details on A2. Members of the Salmon Arm Ice Breakers finish their season in style. See results on A15.
EVAN BUHLER/OBSERVER
Aftermath: Two of the three vehicles involved in a collision on the Trans-Canada Highway on Monday, March 16.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A15-A17 Time Out................... A18 Arts & Events ... A19-A21 Vol. 108, No. 11, 44 pages