John Vance, 32, was shot and killed on the morning of June 25, 2021, in Scotch Creek.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/B.C. RCMP

The confrontation at a Shuswap car wash that left John Vance dead happened after a lengthy feud between himself and his alleged killer.

A Kamloops jury heard Vance and Paul Binder were once friends, but there was a brewing feud between them before the 2021 Scotch Creek shooting.

"John would come after Paul whenever he had the chance... They didn't get along at all," Chris Henderson told a Kamloops jury on May 1.

Binder's second-degree murder trial started this week. He's accused of killing Vance in an early morning shooting at his Scotch Creek car wash.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the jury heard from three witnesses who were at Binder's house on the day of the shooting.

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They told the court their once friendly relationship had deteriorated, but it didn't mean Vance would stay away from the home.

Henderson's father, David Henderson, said Vance would often come to the property and use the car wash or Binder’s tools without asking. Asked by Binder’s lawyer if he’d describe it as a “bullying” relationship, Chris agreed and said it was “pretty one-sided.”

Roughly a month before Vance's death, Chris and Binder were at Binder's Scotch Creek home when Vance arrived unexpectedly. He was outside in his truck, and when Chris and Binder went outside Vance got out and confronted Binder.

"John beat Paul up in front of his house," Chris said.

Vance punched Binder "continuously" and kicked him once on the ground before leaving, he said.

The jury didn't hear why they had an ongoing feud, but on the day before the shooting the tension seemed defused, according to Chris.

"(Vance) was there for most the day working on his truck. They did talk a few times and they seemed to get along," Chris said. "They tolerated each other, I guess."

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Chris and David were among a few people to sleep at Binder's home the night of the shooting in June 2021. Chris awoke in the morning see Binder "storming" into the house. David told the jury he heard Binder, clearly frustrated, mumble to himself about people taking things or using the car wash without permission and without paying.

Binder was seen on the surveillance system around his home and car wash walk back outside, meet Vance outside a bay door before shooting him in the chest. Vance is seen on camera moving toward him and was later found with a machete and a shotgun.

Chris said Binder returned to the house, still carrying his 9 mm handgun, and told them what happened.

"I remember him saying John's been shot and to phone an ambulance," Chris said. "Then he went and sat in the living room and waited for them to show up."

Chris called 911 and would later go outside to check see if Vance was breathing at the direction of the call taker.

"He was gasping for air, struggling to breathe, but he was breathing," Chris said.

Police arrived by 6 a.m. and they tried in vain to keep Vance alive.

The jury has been hearing evidence since Monday, as Crown prosecutor Laura Drake presents the case that Binder intended to shoot Vance. She told the jury they will likely hear evidence from Binder's defence suggesting it was self-defence.

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