Killer who stabbed victim 'at least 52 times' dies in B.C. prison

Police investigate a fatal stabbing in a Chilliwack parking lot on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. (CTV News)

A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.

Gerald Leslie Dolman had been serving his indeterminate sentence since Dec. 1, 2017, the CSC said in a news release Thursday, describing him as an inmate at the Pacific Institution's Regional Treatment Centre in Abbotsford.

The service did not elaborate on the cause of Dolman's death or the circumstances of his crime, but CTV News covered the murder when it occurred, and a sentencing decision available online sheds additional light on what happened. 

The killing happened on the afternoon of May 3, 2016. Mounties were called to a parking lot on Yale Road near Spadina Avenue in downtown Chilliwack around 3 p.m. for reports of a stabbing that had followed a crash between two vehicles.

The 49-year-old victim, who police did not name at the time, died at the scene.

Police arrested one man – Dolman – at the scene, and he was charged with second-degree murder the following day.

$600 'gone missing'

The sentencing decision identifies the deceased as Robert Thomas Splitt, a father and grandfather who was the boyfriend of Rebecca Burns, a sex-trade worker who was also in a sexual relationship with Dolman, then aged 63.

"Though Mr. Dolman and Mr. Splitt were aware of each other, they did not socialize or otherwise interact with each other," the decision explains.

Dolman had a "longstanding" relationship with Burns and developed "an emotional attachment" to her, according to the decision.

On the day of the killing, Dolman returned home from visiting his ailing mother to find that $600 "had gone missing from his home." The decision indicates Burns had stayed over the night before and had been picked up by Splitt while Dolman was out.

"Mr. Dolman felt betrayed," the decision reads. "He concluded that he had been used by Ms. Burns throughout their relationship and that she and Mr. Splitt were operating as a team to steal from him."

Dolman went out to look for Splitt, telling an acquaintance that he (Dolman) "would be going to jail that day," according to the decision.

Shortly after he left home, Dolman spotted Splitt's vehicle near Young Road and First Avenue, and began pursuing it "at a high rate of speed." The decision indicates he struck and injured a cyclist and caused a multi-vehicle crash as he sped through downtown.

"In a futile attempt to get away from Mr. Dolman, Mr. Splitt pulled his vehicle into the Save-On-Foods parking lot," the decision reads. "Mr. Dolman immediately pulled up behind him, exited his own vehicle, and ran up to Mr. Splitt's car. He began stabbing Mr. Splitt with a knife through the window of Mr. Splitt's vehicle. Ms. Burns fled the scene through the passenger door."

"Mr. Splitt attempted to escape by getting out of his car. He was unsuccessful and fell to the ground. Mr. Dolman continued stabbing him."

Victim stabbed 'at least 52 times'

Dolman remained at the scene after the stabbing. He was "co-operative" with police and did not run away, according to the sentencing decision.

When it came time to enter a plea, Dolman pleaded guilty, leaving the judge to impose an automatic life sentence and weigh lawyers' submissions on how many years Dolman should serve before becoming eligible for parole.

Crown prosecutors argued that parole eligibility should begin after 12 years, while Dolman's defence argued for 10.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Palbinder Kaur Shergill began her sentencing decision by describing the case as "tragic in all respects."

She opted to set Dolman's parole eligibility at 11 years, noting that he had expressed "genuine remorse" for his crime and had saved the victims from a potentially re-traumatizing trial by pleading guilty.

Shergill also noted Dolman's lack of any significant criminal record as a mitigating factor worth considering against the aggravating factors, which she described as "numerous."

"The offence was committed in broad daylight in a busy public space where many people were present," the judge's decision reads, listing the aggravating factors.

"The manner in which the offence was committed was brutal. Mr. Dolman pursued Mr. Splitt in his vehicle at high rates of speed in a busy shopping area frequented by families and general members of the public. He stabbed Mr. Splitt at least 52 times before he was apprehended by the police."

"Mr. Dolman had many opportunities to end his chase of Mr. Splitt and subsequently his attack. He did not do that. Rather, he persisted even after Mr. Splitt exited his vehicle and tried futilely to escape."

Dolman died on Sept. 24, a few months short of eight years into his life sentence.

"As in all cases involving the death of an inmate, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) will review the circumstances," the CSC said in its release, adding that the BC Coroners Service has also been notified.