Man found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in Tatlow Park caretaker killing

Karin Larsen · CBC News

· Posted: May 09, 2025 8:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The antheral accused successful the gruesome sidesplitting of popular Kitsilano parkland caretaker Justis Daniel has been recovered blameworthy of second-degree execution successful B.C. Supreme Court.

Brent White, 54, volition beryllium sentenced astatine a aboriginal date.

A dozen of Daniel's friends successful attendance softly clapped, hugged and sobbed as Justice Miriam A. Maisonville delivered her verdict.

The 77-year-old was recovered dormant successful a bloody country wrong his Tatlow Park caretaker's cottage connected Dec. 10, 2021. He had been stabbed 42 times successful the head, look and cervix and had suffered blunt unit trauma to the head. 

White's defence ne'er contested that helium killed Daniel, but argued helium had done it successful self-defence.

During the trial, White testified that Daniel abruptly became violent, spot White's neck and drank his humor arsenic the 2 men sat connected a sofa successful the cottage watching CNN. He said Daniel threw a weapon astatine him and claimed to beryllium Iblis, the Islamic equivalent of the devil.

He said helium defended himself utilizing a weapon to "recompense" Daniel for his actions.

But Maisonville said White's grounds was inconsistent, neither credible nor reliable, and "a merchandise of hindsight astatine best of a bizarre nature."

She said White's assertion that Daniel — a frail 77-year-old who weighed conscionable 139 pounds — could person attacked White successful the mode helium described was not reasonable.

She said determination was nary grounds that White had a intelligence information that could rise a tenable uncertainty arsenic to his intent to kill, intent being a necessary finding for guilt successful second-degree murder.

White covered up Daniel's assemblage and humor stains aft the execution and took Daniel's cellphone and key, and locked the cottage doorway down him erstwhile helium left. He aboriginal disposed of the cardinal and phone.

He was arrested 3 months aft the murder after being identified connected video that constabulary gathered from the Tatlow Park area.

Traces of Daniel's humor were found connected a folding weapon and sandals located successful the van that White lived in.

The tribunal heard that the 2 men were acquaintances who had visited successful Daniel's cottage connected occasions anterior to the killing.