Man Accused of Killing Ex-Wife in B.C. Says He Tried to Take His Own Life After Her Death
Subhadarshi Tripathy
6/11/20262 min read
A man accused of killing his ex-wife near Lumby, B.C., told a B.C. Supreme Court jury that she stabbed herself and that he did everything he could to save her.
Vitali Stefanski has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his ex-wife, 44-year-old Tatjana Stefanski.
Testifying in Kamloops on Wednesday, Vitali denied killing Tatjana. Earlier in the trial, police said he had confessed after RCMP found him alone and barefoot near a forest service road outside Lumby on April 14, 2024, close to where Tatjana’s body was discovered.
Accused Says Ex-Wife Was Bleeding Before They Left
The jury has heard that security footage from a property near Tatjana’s home showed the former couple getting into Vitali’s car the day before her body was found.
Vitali agreed that Tatjana was already bleeding heavily before they left the driveway of her home. However, he said he did not call 911 or drive toward the hospital in Vernon. Instead, he drove toward Lumby.
On Wednesday, Vitali told the jury he saw Tatjana stab herself twice while in his car.
But he gave little explanation for the seven stab wounds later found on Tatjana’s chest.
“The first one, I would say [was a] stab wound, and the second one, I would not call it a stab wound. It was a kind of injury,” he testified.
Court Heard Victim Suffered Multiple Injuries
The court has heard that wounds to Tatjana’s chest pierced her heart and one of her lungs.
She also suffered 21 sharp-force injuries to her arms and legs. Vitali has not provided an explanation for most of those injuries.
Crown prosecutor Laura Drake questioned him about why he did not call 911, stop at the Lumby RCMP detachment or try to flag down another driver while Tatjana was injured in his vehicle.
Vitali told the court he was panicked and in shock.
“In that moment, I was looking for the hospital,” he said, adding that he was sweating heavily and struggling to think clearly.
He also said he was “hoping she was still alive” while later being questioned by police.
Vitali Says He Tried to Kill Himself
Vitali agreed with the Crown that he attempted to kill himself twice after Tatjana’s death.
He testified that he stopped on Mabel Lake Road outside Lumby and, at some point, removed Tatjana’s body from the back seat. He said that when he tried to put her body back in the vehicle, it “slipped” down an embankment.
Vitali said he then tried to get help from nearby cabins, but nobody was home.
He told the jury he later attempted to drown himself in Mabel Lake and then stabbed himself before losing consciousness.
The trial began on May 25. Crown and defence lawyers are expected to deliver closing arguments on Monday.
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