Kamloops, B.C. — In a high-profile case that has captured the attention of the local community, nearly 60 items were presented as evidence in a British Columbia courtroom, marking a significant development in the trial of Rogelio “Butch” Bagabuyo. The 57-year-old lawyer is accused of the first-degree murder of Mohd Abdullah, his former client and a Thompson Rivers University professor.
The items submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday include a variety of potential crime tools and personal items, ranging from an Exacto knife and a 12-inch blade to a shovel. Additionally, a Budget rental van, where Abdullah’s body was discovered, and its corresponding rental documents were heavily scrutinized as part of the evidence collection.
Details about the array of evidence continued to emerge throughout the court proceedings. A large black storage tote, ropes, disposable lighters, cables, and oddly, black garbage bags with holes, were cataloged. A particularly noteworthy piece included an index card with a hand-written note detailing instructions such as “bag everything after,” “don’t bring phone and e-watch,” and advice to disable apps and location services.
The judicial process also saw the entering of 28 pages of email exchanges between Bagabuyo and Abdullah, underscoring the depth of their relationship. Documents from 2016 pertaining to Abdullah’s will and power of attorney, both of which were signed with Bagabuyo as the attorney, have added layers to the narrative being unraveled in court.
The context of their relationship further complicates this case. Abdullah, a 60-year-old computer science professor, was reported missing on March 14, 2022, after he failed to appear for his duties at the university. His disappearance triggered an immediate investigation that led to the grim discovery of his body just three days later in the parked van.
Prior to this tragedy, Bagabuyo was described by Abdullah’s son-in-law as a “trusted friend” of the deceased, highlighting the close yet complex ties between the accused and the victim. Abdullah’s daughter, Sarah Jeet Lalata-Buco, remembered her father as a quiet and kind man, devoted to both his family and his career at the university where he had been a respected figure for over two decades.
The case, which has taken various twists and turns, reached another chapter when Bagabuyo was charged with interfering with human remains shortly after Abdullah’s body was found. More than a year later, charges were escalated to murder in May 2023, though Bagabuyo has since been released on bail as of July 2023.
As the community watches closely, the trial continues to unfold with the Crown expected to make its opening arguments soon, setting the stage for a deeply contested legal battle that promises to reveal more about the circumstances surrounding this unsettling case.
The unfolding courtroom drama in Kamloops raises numerous questions about trust, betrayal, and the intricacies of human relationships, encapsulated in a legal showdown that is as much about the evidence as it is about the nature of the connections that bind us.
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