B.C. Man Accused of Killing Ex-Wife Tells Jury He Is Not Guilty

Emma MacLeod

6/26/20262 min read

A man accused of stabbing his ex-wife to death in rural British Columbia told a jury during closing arguments that he is not guilty and that her death was “like a suicide.”

Vitali Stefanski is on trial in B.C. Supreme Court in Kamloops for second-degree murder in the death of Tatjana Stefanski.

Tatjana’s body was found in April 2024 near a rural forest service road outside Lumby, B.C. The court has heard she suffered multiple stab wounds, including seven wounds to her chest that injured her heart and lungs.

“You should believe me that I am not guilty,” Vitali told the jury on Thursday.

Accused Represented Himself During Closing Arguments

Vitali had been represented by a lawyer for much of the trial, but jurors were told last week that he would represent himself, including during closing submissions.

After closing arguments, the jury began deliberations following instructions from Justice Bradford Smith.

During his remarks, Vitali rejected the Crown’s theory of the case and said prosecutors had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he killed Tatjana.

He told jurors they should reject what the Crown said in its closing argument, calling its version of events wrong.

Crown Says Evidence Points to Murder

Crown lawyer Laura Drake told the jury Wednesday that the only reasonable conclusion from the evidence is that Vitali stabbed his ex-wife to death.

She argued that his explanation of what happened was inconsistent with common sense.

The trial heard that a bent and bloodied knife found near Tatjana’s body had DNA from both Tatjana and Vitali on it.

Police also testified that Vitali emerged barefoot from the forest and confessed to killing Tatjana before gesturing toward where her body was located.

Vitali denied making that statement.

“I never said that,” he told the jury Thursday, referring to the officer’s testimony.

Accused Says Ex-Wife Stabbed Herself

Vitali testified earlier in the trial that Tatjana stabbed herself while inside his car.

He told the court that on the morning of April 13, 2024, Tatjana came to him at her home with a bloody nose before they drove away together in his black Audi.

He said he later discovered she had been stabbed with his fishing knife and claimed he did everything he could to get her help.

Vitali said he drove away from the nearest hospital because of how his car was parked, and said he was still hoping Tatjana was alive.

“My plan was to go to Tatjana, call emergency, and I was still hoping that she survived,” he told the jury Thursday.

Court Heard Victim Had Defensive-Type Injuries

The court has heard that Tatjana suffered seven stab wounds to her chest, along with multiple sharp-force injuries to her arms and legs.

A pathologist also testified that wounds to her hands were consistent with defensive-type injuries.

Vitali denied causing any of the injuries during his testimony and again in his closing statement.

He said he had no scratches, cuts or bruises that would show he attacked Tatjana.

“If he had attacked her, he said, there would be evidence,” he told the jury, referring to himself in the third person.

“I tell you why they do not exist,” he said of the lack of injuries. “Because I’m just a witness.”

Jury Now Deliberating

Vitali also told the court he tried to take his own life after Tatjana’s death, first by drowning and then by stabbing himself with a kitchen knife he found at a cabin.

He said he lost consciousness and woke up the next morning before later being arrested.

The jury is now considering the evidence and arguments in the second-degree murder trial.

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