Dozens of Items Entered as Evidence in Trial of B.C. Lawyer Accused of Killing Client

A B.C. Supreme Court trial began Monday in Kamloops with nearly 60 items entered into evidence in the case of a lawyer accused of murdering his longtime client and friend.

Rogelio Bagabuyo, 57 — who also goes by “Butch” — is charged with first-degree murder in the 2022 death of Mohd Abdullah, a 60-year-old computer science professor at Thompson Rivers University.

Among the exhibits submitted were a 12-inch knife, a shovel, a black storage tote bag, and multiple black garbage bags with holes cut into them. The items were logged by Justice Kathleen Ker at the start of the judge-alone trial.

Police had previously discovered Abdullah’s remains inside a Budget rental van abandoned in Kamloops’s Dufferin area. The van’s rental documents were the first exhibit entered.

Also submitted was an index card with a series of ominous handwritten notes that included phrases such as:

• “Bag everything after”

• “Don’t bring phone and e-watch”

• “Turn APPS off”

• “Turn location services off”

Ropes, disposable lighters, cables, and email correspondence between Abdullah and Bagabuyo were also among the items introduced, as well as legal documents dating back to 2016, including Abdullah’s will and power of attorney — both bearing Bagabuyo’s signature.

Court proceedings briefly paused Monday to locate more evidence bags due to the volume of materials.

A Trusted Friend

Abdullah was reported missing on March 14, 2022, after he failed to arrive for work at the university. His body was found three days later, and Bagabuyo was initially charged with interfering with human remains. A year later, in May 2023, he was formally charged with murder.

Bagabuyo, a Kamloops lawyer, has been out on bail since July 2023. He sat quietly behind his legal team during Monday’s proceedings, taking notes.

Abdullah’s family previously described Bagabuyo as a “trusted friend.” His daughter, Sarah Jeet Lalata-Buco, remembered her father as a quiet, kind man. He had worked at TRU for 21 years and played a key role in both the Faculty of Science and the university’s Open Learning division.

The Crown is expected to present its opening arguments on Tuesday.