Kamloops RCMP were called to a disturbance in the 9000 block of Dallas Drive on Feb. 11, 2017.

(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - A Kamloops man on trial for second degree murder says he was reacting to a direct threat of gang violence from his friend before stabbing him to death. 

Stephen George Fraser, 58, is accused of the second degree murder of his former friend and ex-co-worker Cody Foster who was 26 years old when Fraser stabbed and beat him to death on Feb. 11, 2017 in his camper.

Testifying in his own defence today, Dec. 5, Fraser said Foster showed up at his dad's house in North Kamloops at approximately 3 p.m. that day.

"I was surprised to see him," Fraser said.

He said he was getting ready to move to the Yukon for a job, when Foster showed up. He told Fraser he needed help paying his hydro bill. Fraser was broke too so they agreed to ask Fraser's dad for it.

Once Fraser gathered the money, he drove Foster back to the RV park on Dallas Drive. While Foster met with the RV park office manager to pay his bill, Fraser says he fixed himself a vodka and diet coke drink in Foster’s trailer.

When Foster returned, Fraser says the two continued to drink and smoked a joint together.

Fraser says Foster’s attitude randomly changed.

While he had his back turned, Fraser heard Foster say “just so you know, I really don’t want to kill you… I got no choice.”

“I was floored,” Fraser said. “I was not prepared for that.”

Fraser says he put his drink down and turned around to see what Foster meant.

“He started hugging me which was very odd,” Fraser said through tears. “He kept talking, he said ‘Don’t feel bad brother from another mother, it’s not personal it’s just business.’”

Fraser says his mind went into “bear-encounter mode” and said it was “important for him not to panic”.

“The last thing (Foster) said was that he was a guy that had to follow orders,” Fraser said.

During Fraser’s direct examination, his defence lawyer Jay Michi asked him if he had ever heard of the Independent Soldiers.

“I had never heard that name out loud before but I knew it was a gang of some sort,” Fraser answered.

“Basically at that moment I was (Foster’s) prisoner,” he said.

While the two were still hugging, Fraser noticed a knife sitting in the dish rack of Foster’s kitchen.

Fraser says he “gently reached” to grab the knife using his right hand without Foster noticing.

Once he had the knife Fraser says he “pushed the knife" into (Foster’s) neck and the knife broke.

Fraser said the stab injury didn’t seem to have much effect on Foster.

“It had no noticeable physical effect on him at all,” he says. “It was pretty clear to me that he was stronger than I was.”

Fraser says he hit Foster in the face four times as hard as he could.

“He looked like he was laughing with his mouth was full of blood but no noise was coming out… it was very scary,” Fraser said. “It was like I was hitting a mannequin or a robot, it had no effect on him at all.”

The trial continues. We will have more information this afternoon.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Karen Edwards or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2018