On Saturday afternoon, as many prepared to join coworkers for festive office Christmas parties, a Vancouver jury began deliberating on the fate of accused murderer Eric Allen Kirkpatrick.

The 63-year-old is accused of shooting his former boss Benjamin David Banky at a party on Dec. 12, 2008, the day after being fired.

Banky was the CEO of TallGrass Distribution, a Vancouver natural health distribution company. Kirkpatrick had worked at a company warehouse.

The party had barely begun when Kirkpatrick walked in with a loaded shotgun in hand. Most of the staff fled the building; Banky didn't make it out.

The deceased's family and friends turned out in force Saturday to hear the judge's words for the jury. Among them was Banky's wife Linda Rae, who had previously kept away from the trial to avoid hearing witnesses' emotional testimony.

"I wasn't sure how it would affect me. It's not easy stuff to hear," she said. "None of this will bring Ben back."

The seven women and four men on the jury will have to decide beyond a reasonable doubt that the shooting was planned in advance in order to convict Kirkpatrick of first-degree murder.

If they determine it was a crime of passion, Kirkpatrick will be convicted of second-degree murder. Both carry life sentences. If they find he did not have criminal intent, a lesser sentence may be handed down for manslaughter.

Before the jury was sequestered, the judge summarized the Crown argument that the accused was furious at his dismissal and returned to kill his boss in revenge.

"He rented a van… he took a shotgun and 10 shotgun shells… he saw Ben, pursued him and shot him twice in the back at close range, killing him."

The judge also acknowledged the defense's claims Kirkpatrick had epilepsy, obsessed over Banky and fired the shots because he was mentally ill.

"He walked into the office with a gun in his hand. But no one stopped to listen to him. In an effort to get them to listen, he shot into the wall. This shot caused Ben Banky to fall to the ground."

Rae wouldn't say what she thinks of the defense's argument. She's trusting the jurors will do their job. "I'm not putting my energy there," she said. "I'm putting my energy into remembering Ben."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward