The sister of a man found brutally murdered in his Vernon apartment back in 2017 is still processing what she's been told.
Teresa Bartz, sister of murder victim Willy Bartz, says she received a phone call Wednesday afternoon telling her that the man charged with killing her brother has died.
Shortly after Willy's bludgeoned body was found, police arrested and charged Richard Fairgrieve with second degree murder.
“I wish he would have been held accountable, but I’m glad he’s not breathing,” says Teresa Bartz, who was told Fairgrieve died of a heart attack over the weekend at the forensic psychiatric hospital in Port Coquitlam.
“He was a waste of skin, evil as they come, so good riddance.” she said.
While in custody awaiting trial, Fairgrieve suffered a number of strokes. Over the years, several hearings were held to determine his ability to stand trial.
In June 2023, Justice Alison Beames said Fairgrieve testified with short answers, long pauses and had to have questions repeated. She found his presence child-like and determined he was unfit to stand trial at the time.
"In the context of a full trial, it is difficult to imagine how his deficits could be accommodated," she said at the time.
During his latest court appearance in December 2023, he was ordered to undergo an additional fitness assessment after the BC Review Board suggested he may indeed be well enough to stand trial.
That three day re-trial of the fitness issue was set for the week of April 2, 2024.
For Teresa Bartz, the news of Fairgrieve’s death marks the end to her years spent in the courtroom and is the final chapter in her healing journey,
“Now Willy can rest in peace so that makes the pain a little more bearable,” she said.
