The trial of a retired Mountie accused of killing his common-law wife opened Thursday in B.C. Supreme Court with disturbing new details about the alleged crime.
In their opening statments, Crown told the jury that Keith Gregory Wiens, 57, shot Lynn Kalmring in the face at their Penticton home on Aug. 16, 2011, then told a 911 operator what happened.
Prosecutor Colin Forsythe said tapes of the call would be played later in the trial, and the court would hear Wiens say, “Something got out of hand here tonight,” and that he’d made a “huge mistake.”
Crown said Wiens shot his wife, a 55-year-old nurse, at close range using a 9 mm. pistol. The former Mountie is charged with a single count of second-degree murder.
The victim was found with a large knife in her hand, but prosecutors suggested questions will be raised as to whether she was holding it before the shooting.
The deceased’s sister, Shelley Pertleson, testified Thursday that Kalmring called her crying the night she died about a fight with Wiens over money issues.
The court heard the last words exchanged between the sisters were, “I love you,” and “I love you, too.”
Kalmring’s family spoke to reporters outside the courthouse and described the ongoing pain of their loss.
“It hasn’t changed,” said Donna Irwin. “It doesn’t get better. You just get through it, you don’t get over it.”
The family was left reeling after Wiens was let out on $50,000 bail roughly one month after his arrest, then allegedly broke his bail conditions a few months later.
Wiens was ordered to live with his brother, but allegedly moved back into the Penticton home he shared with Kalmring.
The murder trial is expected to last at least two weeks.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Kent Molgat
