22.97°C Vancouver

Oct 5, 2020 7:29 PM -

Penticton, B.C., man accused in 4 deaths to plead guilty: defence

Share On

The lawyer for a man accused in a shooting that left four people dead in Penticton, B.C., says his client plans to plead guilty next week.

John Brittain was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder after the shooting in April last year.

Rudi Winter, Barry and Susan Wonch and Darlene Knippelberg were all killed.

Defence lawyer Paul McMurray told a B.C. Supreme Court judge hearing the case in Kelowna that he's expecting Brittain to plead guilty to all four indictments in court on Oct. 14.

Brittain was a former city employee whom Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki described after the shooting as a gentleman who did his job well.

Police said shortly after the shooting that the victims were in their 60s and 70s and a motive hadn't been determined.

Latest news

CanadaAug 13, 2026

Canada-US Trade Talks Near Critical Deadline as Tariff Threat Looms

Canada and the United States are at a critical point in their ongoing trade negotiations, with the August 19 deadline for avoiding new U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports fast approaching. Despite intensive discussions between officials from both countries, no agreement has been reached so far. Canadian officials are reportedly dissatisfied with Washington’s latest proposal, saying the offer falls well short of what Ottawa had been seeking. According to reports, the United States presented a new proposal on Tuesday that included reductions in tariffs on certain sectors. However, the proposed re
AlbertaAug 12, 2026

Alberta Could See Billions in Budget Surplus Amid High Oil Prices

The Alberta government is expected to record a budget surplus of billions of dollars this fiscal year, driven by higher crude oil prices. According to University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe, the province has already accumulated a $3.8-billion surplus so far this fiscal year. He said every $1-per-barrel change in oil prices can make a difference of about $680 million to the provincial treasury. Tombe estimates that if oil prices remain above $66 per barrel, Alberta could end up with a surplus of around $6 billion, instead of the previously projected $9.4-billion deficit. Alberta
trump-says-us-will-maintain-total-control-over-strait-of-hormuz
WorldAug 12, 2026

Trump says US will maintain ‘total control’ over Strait of Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again claimed that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and said Washington intends to maintain that control. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump described the U.S. Navy’s blockade as a “wall of steel” and said there was nothing Iran could do about it. His comments come as shipping traffic through the strategic waterway has dropped sharply. Only eight vessels passed through the Strait on Tuesday, compared with around 130 to 140 vessels per day before the war. Iran, meanwhile, says full maritime traffic through
19-year-old-arrested-after-knife-waving-incident-in-vancouvers-granville-entertainment-district
BCAug 12, 2026

19-Year-Old Arrested After Knife-Waving Incident in Vancouver’s Granville Entertainment District

Vancouver police have arrested a 19-year-old man after he allegedly caused a disturbance with a knife and created a sense of fear in the Granville Entertainment District. According to police, the incident occurred at around 1:50 a.m. today. An employee at a business reportedly saw the man flipping over tables and displaying a knife toward people passing by. When the employee attempted to intervene, the suspect became angry and began striking the business’s sign with the knife. The employee then backed away and called police. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect just two blo
canada-announces-34-million-in-climate-funding-for-communities
CanadaAug 12, 2026

Canada Announces $34 Million in Climate Funding for Communities

The federal government has announced $34 million in funding to help communities across Canada deal with the impacts of climate change. The funding will support municipalities and local organizations in launching projects aimed at reducing the risks posed by natural disasters such as floods, wildfires and extreme heat. Federal Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin announced the funding in Halifax today, acknowledging that Canada’s climate is changing and that communities need to be better prepared for its impacts. According to Dabrusin, the funding will support 141 climate-related projects acro

Related News