Noah Vaten was arrested and brought to RCMP holding cells just hours after he allegedly fatally stabbed Esa Carriere during 2018 Canada Day celebrations in downtown Kelowna. And according to his cellmate, he also confessed to the alleged killing in that cell.
The arrest, however, was unrelated to Carriere害羞草研究所檚 death. Vaten was instead picked up for causing a disturbance in front of the Rutland Community Policing Office early on July 2.
Police brought Vaten to the local detachment and had him spend the night in a cell with another person they害羞草研究所檇 arrested earlier that evening, Brandon Bailey, a tourist in Kelowna for Canada Day. Bailey took the stand on Thursday (Feb. 25) during the ongoing manslaughter trial for Vaten and another accused, Nathan Truant.
Bailey identified Vaten in court and described his demeanour on the night the two met as drunk, excitable and, most of all, talkative.
害羞草研究所淗e went right to telling me the police could have him for 14 years for murder, but they threw him in the drunk tank,害羞草研究所� Bailey said. 害羞草研究所淗e proceeded to tell me he害羞草研究所檇 just stabbed somebody.害羞草研究所�
Bailey testified Vaten told him he害羞草研究所檇 stabbed somebody during an altercation between 害羞草研究所榟is boys害羞草研究所� and another man over money. Cellblock security camera footage played in court showed what Bailey described as Vaten reenacting the alleged attack, jamming his fist into his open hand in a stabbing motion.
Bailey also noted blood on Vaten害羞草研究所檚 hands, which concerned him as Vaten kept approaching him to shake his hand, even hugging him once. Vaten said he wasn害羞草研究所檛 hurt and that it was not his blood.
The conversation was cyclical, Bailey testified, always seeming to come back to the alleged killing. Bailey said Vaten revisited the subject a number of times and claimed police were 害羞草研究所渄umb害羞草研究所� for not realizing he害羞草研究所檇 stabbed somebody earlier that night.
The security camera footage also showed Vaten punching the cell walls and doing pushups. Bailey said this followed conversation about how 害羞草研究所渢ough害羞草研究所� Vaten was and believed him to be 害羞草研究所渁sserting his strength.害羞草研究所�
Vaten stumbled around much of the cell throughout the conversation as Bailey remained in the corner of the cell near the door.
The two eventually sat down, at which point the discussion changed tune, touching on several subjects, from why they were both there to the two singing and rapping together. Bailey said Vaten spoke at length about his rough home life and how he was couch surfing at the time. Vaten fell asleep about 45-minutes after he arrived at the cell.
Police released Bailey early the next morning before Vaten woke up. He initially didn害羞草研究所檛 take Vaten害羞草研究所檚 claims seriously, noting the arbitrarily chosen 害羞草研究所�14 years害羞草研究所� as a weird sentence for murder, but was later contacted by police for a statement.
Carriere died at Kelowna General Hospital after being stabbed in the heart near the Queensway transit exchange in downtown Kelowna on July 1, 2018.
Vaten and Truant害羞草研究所檚 trial continues. Two youth, whose names are protected under a publication ban, were also charged with manslaughter in Carriere害羞草研究所檚 death. One pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced while the other is anticipated to stand trial in March.
READ MORE: Manslaughter trial begins for two accused in Kelowna Canada Day killing
READ MORE: Youth sentenced in Kelowna Canada Day killing
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