A lawyer in Kamloops, British Columbia, has confessed to killing his client but is arguing that it should be considered manslaughter rather than first-degree murder.
During the trial of Rogelio ‘Butch’ Bagabuyo, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Ker verified that the defense acknowledges that Bagabuyo was responsible for the death of Mohd Abdullah but contends that the charge should be downgraded.
Prosecutor Ann Katrine Saettler informed the court that evidence revealed Abdullah had hired Bagabuyo in 2016 to help conceal a significant amount of money during his separation from his wife. However, Bagabuyo allegedly misappropriated the funds for his personal use.
As tensions escalated over the unreturned money, Abdullah became impatient, fearing legal repercussions if the misappropriation was exposed. Saettler alleged that Bagabuyo devised a plan to eliminate Abdullah, a lecturer at Thompson Rivers University, and attempted to conceal the crime.
Following the discovery of Abdullah’s body, Bagabuyo was apprehended on March 18, 2022, after enlisting the help of an unwitting neighbor’s grandson to dispose of the body.