WARNING: This story contains graphic details that may appeal to some readers.
A Kelowna Superior Court was shown video of a woman describing how she stabbed her spouse while he was sleeping in October 2021.
Tuesday February 7th was the first day of trial for Billie-Jo Bennett, the woman accused of the second degree murder of James Bennett.
The Kelowna woman is currently undergoing a forensic psychiatric evaluation, which will be completed before the trial resumes on May 29. In January, Billie-Jo’s attorney said the defendant would not seek a pretrial right.
READ MORE: Kelowna woman charged with murder of partner has referred case to Supreme Court
RCMP reported a suspicious death on October 18, 2021 after officers were called to Bennett’s basement suite on Bechard Road. It was then that James Bennett’s body was discovered and Billie-Jo was arrested and interrogated. She was released the next day without charge. Billie-Jo was then arrested under the Mental Health Act before being arrested a few weeks later on December 8 and then charged with second-degree murder.
As evidence, a video was shown of her being interrogated by police after she was arrested on the day her husband died.
“I killed my husband,” Billie-Jo said in the video.
While in court, Billie-Jo held her head in her hands as she listened to the recording of herself explaining the events surrounding the incident.
In the video, Billie-Jo said she stabbed James while he was sleeping in bed after his night shift.
“You have to realize that he’s a very short man and a big knife.”
She said that she asked for forgiveness immediately after the stabbing.
“I said ‘I love you with all my heart, please forgive me,’” Billie-Jo said on the recording.
Billie-Jo said she left the room after closing James’ eyes for the last time and called 911.
“I’ve realized that I’ve done the most horrible thing in my life and it’s not going to go away, and I know I’m going to jail. I committed a crime of killing the person you love and you can’t take it back.”
Billie-Jo said she also planned to kill herself after the stabbing.
In the recording, Billie-Jo said she killed James because she “didn’t want him to know the secrets she was holding.”
Billie-Jo said she didn’t want to upset James by telling him about her money problems as she claimed to be the person in charge of the finances.
“I thought it would be easier for me to be here and deal with things than him.”
She said “killing James would take everything away from him” and he had nothing to worry about.
Billie-Jo explained that James had a heart of gold and had never done anything to her, but he would calm down when angry, which she disliked.
“I didn’t want to hurt him or make him mad at me.”
During questioning, Billie-Jo said that her first thought was to kill him on Friday, October 15 by hitting him with her car.
She said she initially tried to kill him on Sunday morning but “didn’t make it,” and said James never knew of her plans.
Billie-Jo describes James as a loving husband who was “so good at tidying up” and made her coffee before she went to work in the morning.
“I killed him and he didn’t deserve it.”
The court hearing was originally scheduled as voir dire, that is, a separate hearing to resolve a point of law, including the admissibility of evidence, but the case has been renamed a full trial.
Billie-Jo has not requested bail since her arrest on December 8, 2021.
READ MORE: Kelowna woman charged with murder after partner’s death
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Murder trial in the city of Kelownam
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