Brian Reum appears in this May 2023 photo.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK: Rotary Club of Merritt, BC

In the minutes before Keremeos senior Brian Reum sliced his wife's throat with a knife before stabbing himself in the chest, he sent a text message to his daughters.

"Girls, I'm sorry for what I've done. Please think of me well. There is a will in my dresser side table, middle door. Love you so much, bye," the message read.

They immediately called 911 and asked for a wellness check.

When police arrived minutes later, they saw Reum on the floor bleeding. They smashed a window to get into the home, and they also found Reum's wife, Debra Vance, on the bed, slipping in and out of consciousness with a three-inch slice across her throat.

They were both rushed to hospital.

At the Penticton courthouse today, Sept. 10, Crown prosecutor Kevin Short said the self-inflicted knife wound in Reum's chest was less than a centimetre from being fatal.

"(It) was done in an attempt to kill himself," the Crown said.

If the cut across Vance's throat had been a little deeper, it would have killed her.

The court heard how the couple hadn't been married for very long, but the relationship was fraught with arguments.

While the couple were on vacation in Seattle, the police had been called with an accusation of domestic violence.

In March 2024, Vance had told Reum she wanted a divorce. The court didn't hear what they were, but she'd found some items of his that upset her.

The day of the attack, she moved her stuff into the spare bedroom and Reum had helped her. There was no fighting or arguing. 

At about 9 p.m. that evening, Reum was watching a hockey game on TV when he approached Vance from behind.

"He held a knife in his right hand and from behind her, sliced it across her throat," the Crown said.

She turned around, unaware of what had happened and saw Reum stab himself in the chest repeatedly. She tried to stop him, before she felt blood dripping down herself and was feeling dizzy.

She made it to the bed and passed out. She only awoke when the police smashed the window to get into the home.

Reum was arrested later that night while in the hospital.

An RCMP officer asked him what was going on to make him do this. He replied, "just life."

When asked if he'd stabbed himself, he replied, "looks that way."

The 69-year-old was later charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault. In March, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

The Crown argued Reum should spend between three and five years in jail, calling his acts "heinous."

Defence lawyer Jas Mangat argued Reum should spend two years under house arrest, followed by three years' probation.

The court heard how Reum grew up in a loving family in Manitoba. His father had been an alcoholic, and at 14 years old, the family lost their home.

He lived in Edmonton and Jasper and spent more than 30 years working for CN Rail. He has two adult children from his first marriage, which lasted more than 20 years. His daughters sat in the public gallery of the courtroom.

He'd been in another 10-year relationship, and his former partner reported there was no violence in their time together. She was also in the courtroom.

While it wasn't mentioned in court, social media posts show that Reum played an active role in the Rotary Club.

In 2023, he'd met Vance, and their relationship had been tumultuous. There was a lot of conflict, and Reum had begun drinking.

In addressing the court, Reum said he was truly sorry.

"I've been thinking a lot about what happened and why I acted that way. It was wrong, and I take full responsibility," he said. "I am gaining my own recovery through exercise and practicing self-care through community, social and health support services. I am grateful to have been given these opportunities, even after the way I acted."

"Debra, I wish you well in health... (and) I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," he said.

The court heard how the attack had left Vance fearful of Reum and had a lasting psychological effect on her.

In arguing for a sentence of house arrest, the defence pointed out that Reum had no criminal record and had undergone counselling for his drinking, and was dealing with his depression.

However, the Crown dismissed a sentence of house arrest, saying only jail would denounce and deter intimate partner violence, even though Reum was almost 70.

The court was adjourned, and a decision on sentencing will be made at a later date.

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