Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Manslaughter in 2021 Killing of Naramata Woman
Liam O'Connell
11/3/20264 min read
A British Columbia man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in the killing of a Naramata woman whose death was connected to a violent gang dispute involving stolen drugs and a series of retaliatory attacks.
Ekene Anigbo, 27, received his sentence in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna on Monday, November 2, for the manslaughter of Kathleen Richardson, who was found dead inside her home on June 9, 2021.
Richardson, 57, was a well-known hairdresser and volunteer firefighter in the small Okanagan community.
The court heard that Anigbo and his associate, Jalen Falk, entered Richardson's residence while searching for her son, Wade Cudmore, who had become a target in a dispute involving the killings of two brothers and the disappearance of a substantial quantity of drugs.
Richardson was restrained with duct tape and zip ties before being shot twice in the face.
Anigbo was originally charged with first-degree murder but was convicted of manslaughter in August following a lengthy trial.
With credit for time already served, he faces a remaining sentence of just under 14 years and six months.
Court Finds Anigbo Responsible for Role in Fatal Home Invasion
The trial examined the circumstances surrounding Richardson's death and the involvement of both Anigbo and Falk in the attack.
According to evidence presented in court, the two men entered Richardson's Naramata home during the early morning hours of June 9, 2021.
They were searching for Cudmore as part of an effort to recover stolen drugs and money and retaliate for earlier gang-related killings.
When they discovered Cudmore was not at the residence, they confronted Richardson in an attempt to obtain information about her son's whereabouts.
The court heard that Richardson resisted while the men attempted to restrain her.
She was subsequently bound with duct tape and zip ties before being fatally shot twice in the face.
Her body was discovered in the basement of the home later that day.
During sentencing, the court heard that both men participated in restraining Richardson, but the Crown had not established beyond a reasonable doubt which individual fired the fatal shots.
The judge also found that the prosecution had not proven Anigbo possessed the intent necessary for a murder conviction.
He was therefore found guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.
Gang Retaliation Plot Linked to Earlier Double Homicide
Prosecutors connected Richardson's killing to an escalating series of violent incidents involving rival criminal associates in British Columbia's Interior.
The conflict centred on the deaths of brothers Erick and Carlo Fryer, whose bodies were discovered near Naramata in May 2021.
Investigators alleged that Cudmore and another man, Anthony Graham, were involved in the brothers' deaths and the theft of drugs and money valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to the Crown, Anigbo, Falk and other associates travelled through the Okanagan region searching for the two men.
Their objective was to locate Cudmore and Graham and recover the missing property.
The prosecution argued that Richardson became a target because of her relationship to Cudmore.
During Anigbo's trial, Crown prosecutor Emily Yao described a case built on circumstantial evidence, including testimony from police officers and individuals allegedly involved in the broader criminal network.
One witness told the court that they had driven Anigbo and Falk to Richardson's home.
The prosecution maintained that the various pieces of evidence, considered together, established Anigbo's involvement in the fatal incident.
In 2024, Cudmore was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of the Fryer brothers.
Co-Accused Previously Received Life Sentence
Anigbo's sentencing follows an earlier conviction involving Jalen Falk, who was also charged in Richardson's killing.
Falk pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced in February 2026 to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 16 years.
His involvement became a significant part of the investigation after police obtained information through an undercover operation known as a "Mr. Big" investigation.
During the operation, undercover RCMP officers established a fictitious criminal organization and developed a relationship with Falk.
Investigators used the operation to gain his confidence and obtain information about Richardson's death.
According to prosecutors, Falk disclosed details of the killing to the undercover officers, contributing to the evidence gathered in the case.
Anigbo's proceedings continued separately, with his trial beginning in March 2026.
The Crown initially pursued a first-degree murder conviction, but the court ultimately determined that the evidence supported manslaughter.
The different convictions reflect the evidence and legal findings established in each man's proceedings.
Sentencing Reflects Seriousness of Richardson's Death
During Anigbo's sentencing proceedings, the Crown sought a life sentence, while defence lawyers recommended a prison term of between 12 and 14 years.
The court ultimately imposed a 15-year sentence, reduced by 204 days to account for time already served.
The sentencing judge considered the circumstances of the killing, including the planning involved in the search for Cudmore and the violence inflicted on Richardson inside her home.
Richardson had been living in a quiet residential community when the men entered her property in search of someone else.
The case highlighted the consequences of gang-related retaliation extending beyond individuals directly involved in criminal disputes.
Anigbo's conviction for manslaughter established his criminal responsibility for participating in the events that led to Richardson's death, despite the court's finding that the evidence did not support a murder conviction against him.
Naramata Community Continues to Mourn Richardson
Richardson's death had a lasting effect on the small community of Naramata, where she was known through her work as a hairdresser and her involvement in local volunteer activities.
She served with the Naramata Volunteer Fire Department and participated in community initiatives, including the local Christmas hamper program.
Her killing shocked residents of the community, particularly because it occurred in her own home and was connected to a violent dispute in which she was not identified as a criminal participant.
During the sentencing hearing, the court acknowledged the devastating impact of Richardson's death on her family, friends and neighbours.
Those close to her described the continuing grief and the difficulty of accepting the circumstances surrounding her killing.
The sentencing brings another stage of the legal proceedings to a conclusion, more than five years after Richardson's death.
With Falk serving a life sentence and Anigbo now sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter, the courts have addressed the criminal responsibility of both men in connection with the fatal home invasion.
For Richardson's family and the Naramata community, however, the consequences of the June 2021 killing extend beyond the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
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