One of the three people accused in the Penticton murder case has made his first court appearance. On Thursday morning, Simon Bourbonnais appeared by video at the Penticton Courthouse wearing an orange jumpsuit.
Bourbonnais is facing several charges. These include being an accessory after the fact in the murders of Douglas Barker and Alannah Brown. He is also charged with manslaughter in Brown’s death, unlawful confinement, and committing indignity to human remains.
The remains of the two victims were found in Trout Creek in September 2022. Both were 30 years old and lived in Penticton. The case remained unsolved for nearly three years, but the police arrested three suspects less than two weeks ago.
The investigation was led by the RCMP’s E-Division Serious Crime Unit. According to the police, the arrests came after a long and careful review of the evidence.
The BC Prosecution Service approved several charges in this case. Jilane King has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Barker. She also faces charges of accessory after the fact in both murders.
Bourbonnais faces charges of accessory after the fact in the murders of Barker and Brown. He is also accused of unlawfully confining Brown, treating both victims’ remains with disrespect, and committing manslaughter in Brown’s death.
The third suspect, Tyler Stuart, is charged with accessory after the fact in both murders. He also faces charges for indignity to human remains.
The police have not shared full details about what led to the murders. However, they continue to look into the case and are asking anyone with more information to come forward.
Superintendent Sanjay Wijayakoon of the E-Division Serious Crime Unit said the arrests are the result of a long investigation.
“After an almost three-year intensive investigation, the E-Division Serious Crime Unit has made the initial arrests of three suspects in the homicides of both Douglas Barker and Alannah Brown,” he said.
He added that the team is still working on the case and encouraged the public to help if they can.
At Thursday’s court hearing, Justice Greg Kotarbush agreed to delay further action until September 17. On that day, both Bourbonnais and Stuart are scheduled to return to court.
Bourbonnais’ lawyer asked for more time to get the full evidence package, known as disclosure. The defence also plans to ask for a bail hearing soon.
For now, all three suspects remain in custody as the legal process moves forward.
The Penticton murder case has drawn public attention due to the length of the investigation and the serious nature of the charges. With court proceedings now underway, more details may become available in the coming weeks.
The RCMP continues to request help from the public. Anyone with knowledge of the events leading to the murders of Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker is urged to contact the authorities.
