New Docuseries Explores the 2010 Drowning of Laura Letts Beckett in B.C.’s Interior

Laura Letts Beckett was on a boat outing with her husband Peter Beckett in August 2010 when, as he tells it, she unexpectedly ended up in the water. Unable to swim and not wearing a life jacket, Laura drowned that day on B.C.'s Upper Arrow Lake. Her husband claimed he attempted to save her but couldn’t succeed due to his own buoyancy, leading him to swim ashore to get a large rock to help him sink.

This tragic event has puzzled investigators and divided opinions for over a decade. In 2017, Peter Beckett was convicted of first-degree murder in his wife’s death, but the conviction was overturned in 2020, leaving questions about what truly happened.

The new three-part docuseries, In Cold Water: The Shelter Bay Mystery, directed by Vancouver filmmaker Trish Neufeld, revisits the mystery with new interviews from friends, family, police, lawyers, and journalists, including Kamloops reporter Tim Petruk, who covered the case in court.

"I got hooked on the story really early because of all the twists and turns," Neufeld said, noting that Beckett himself participated, sharing his perspective on Laura’s death and the investigation.

For Petruk, Beckett’s choice to represent himself in court stood out. “He was this larger-than-life character, really unusual,” Petruk shared, recalling how Beckett’s unorthodox behavior added intrigue to the trial.

Beyond the legal intrigue, Neufeld highlights the emotional toll on Laura’s friends and family, who continue to grapple with loss. “Her friends had to be really brave to sit down and tell their stories,” Neufeld said, adding that true-crime stories like this one can often bring closure and healing for those left behind.