Something has shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C.
It害羞草研究所檚 subtle, say residents of the community of 2,000 people, nestled in the hills of the North Okanagan in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Interior.
Few people now gather outside coffee shops on the main street along Highway 6. Posters on the school doors require visitors to check in or call the office to be let in. Heart-shaped stickers saying 害羞草研究所淛ustice for Tatjana害羞草研究所� are plastered on storefronts and car windows.
It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, where shopkeepers let children have ice cream on the promise to pay later, said Tawnya Ferris, a store owner and mother of three.
But everything changed when Tatjana Stefanski vanished.
害羞草研究所淭he town went hush,害羞草研究所� Ferris said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always told everybody we害羞草研究所檙e safe, not thinking that something would happen.害羞草研究所�
RCMP say Stefanski, 44, was last seen on April 13 with her ex-husband before 害羞草研究所渄eparting unexpectedly害羞草研究所� with him in a black Audi.
Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 partner of four years, Jason Gaudreault, says he watched grainy CCTV footage of those moments at the end of the driveway to their house.
害羞草研究所淚 can see him on the video surveillance and I see him standing beside his vehicle that had the passenger door open,害羞草研究所� Gaudreault said in an interview.
Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 nine-year-old son walks down the driveway as his mother approaches the vehicle. Then, said Gaudreault, Stefanski is gone.
The impact on the town was immediate. Ferris said her business slowed down for about 10 days after Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 disappearance 害羞草研究所渂ecause not a lot of people want to leave the house.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he schools and businesses, and the whole community is 害羞草研究所� just, you just feel it. It害羞草研究所檚 just eerie. The fog hasn害羞草研究所檛 lifted yet,害羞草研究所� Ferris said.
On April 14, police announced that Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 body was found in a rural area outside town and a man 害羞草研究所渂elieved to be involved in this death was arrested in the general vicinity.害羞草研究所�
But the suspect was freed with conditions, police say. Gaudreault doesn害羞草研究所檛 understand why, and Lumby害羞草研究所檚 residents also wonder why charges have not been laid.
Gaudreault doesn害羞草研究所檛 blame police, but said not enough was being done to protect them, or other families who are victims of crime, and laws surrounding victims need to change.
Gaudreault feared that he or Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 son or 16-year-old daughter could be next, so the family went into hiding.
They were not alone in their concerns.
Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton said 害羞草研究所減anic set in right when people found out the suspect wasn害羞草研究所檛 detained.害羞草研究所�
He said the town, which is typically 害羞草研究所渓ike Pleasantville,害羞草研究所� remains on 害羞草研究所渉igh alert害羞草研究所� more than a month later.
害羞草研究所淪omething like this really catches us by surprise because you realize that even though you害羞草研究所檙e a small community, you害羞草研究所檙e not immune to such horrible or horrific things,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚t just is hard to believe that the family can害羞草研究所檛 feel safe in their own community in this day and age. Surely we can do better.害羞草研究所�
B.C. RCMP said in a statement to The Canadian Press last week that the 害羞草研究所渋nvestigation is in its infancy,害羞草研究所� and the threshold for charge approval was 害羞草研究所渘ot insignificant.害羞草研究所� They did not confirm the identity of the person arrested.
The Canadian Press reached Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 ex-husband for comment by phone. He confirmed his identity when he answered, but immediately hung up when told he was speaking to a reporter.
Jen De Bourcier, a Lumby mother of three, said she helped organize a candlelight vigil in Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 honour on April 26 at the town害羞草研究所檚 Oval Park.
害羞草研究所淚t was a really strange thing to know this family was going through this, but yet they were really isolated, so the community really needed a way to show our sadness and grief, and to show our support for the family,害羞草研究所� she said.
She said about 120 people, including Gaudreault and Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 daughter, were in attendance. She expected more.
害羞草研究所淧eople were afraid to come out to the vigil because this person is still out; he害羞草研究所檚 still free,害羞草研究所� De Bourcier said.
害羞草研究所淪o there were a lot of people that said they really wanted to come and show their support and remember Tatjana, but they were afraid because they didn害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所� we don害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所� know what this person is capable of.害羞草研究所�
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Gaudreault said he met Stefanski on a Facebook dating app four years ago.
His first date with Stefanski, who moved to Canada from Germany about 12 years ago, was a walk together. On their second date, he showed her his motorcycle. She posed for pictures with it on an impromptu photoshoot.
害羞草研究所淲e just connected, and I think it was my motorcycle that caught her,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪he always wanted to get her motorcycle licence.害羞草研究所�
After a year of dating, he invited her and her children to live with him at his home, a rambling property with chickens running around the driveway, alongside Highway 6 just outside Lumby. Gaudreault still calls them Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 chickens, as he shoos them away from the deck.
害羞草研究所淪he was just always so full of light and just love and care,害羞草研究所� he said.
Gaudreault said Stefanski and her ex-husband害羞草研究所檚 relationship broke down and he left her about five years ago. Her ex, Gaudreault said, thought that after he got a good job 害羞草研究所渟he was going to come running back to him.害羞草研究所�
Instead, she met Gaudreault a year after the split.
They met via Facebook, but he says she didn害羞草研究所檛 spend much time on social media. Instead, it was Gaudreault, phone in hand, documenting their relationship. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e so beautiful,害羞草研究所� Gaudreault coos to her in a singsong voice in multiple videos, making Stefanski smile shyly as she poses next to a waterfall or skates backwards on an ice rink.
Her ex, who was estranged from the former couple害羞草研究所檚 teenage daughter but shared custody of their son, remained an uncomfortable presence.
Gaudreault said he made her promise to never be alone with him.
害羞草研究所淏ut she害羞草研究所檚 stubborn, and she trusts way too much,害羞草研究所� he said.
On April 13, Gaudreault was in his home workshop when he got a Facebook message from Stefanski at 7:57 a.m., saying her ex had arrived and wanted to see their son. The man was giving the boy 害羞草研究所渉is stuff害羞草研究所� and saying goodbye before he moved away, said the message,which Gaudreault showed on his phone.
Gaudreault responded by asking where he was going, adding that the man would need to give Stefanski full guardianship of their kids in writing.
A few minutes later, Gaudreault said he went to the house and found his and Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 sons going through a 害羞草研究所渟mall carry-on suitcase害羞草研究所� of the man害羞草研究所檚 belongings, including his passport.
He asked Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 son where his mother was, to which the boy responded that she was on the driveway talking to his dad.
害羞草研究所淩ight there, my guts were right up in my throat,害羞草研究所� he said.
Gaudreault hadn害羞草研究所檛 seen anyone on the driveway on his way to the house.
害羞草研究所淢y heart was pounding hard. I threw my shoes back on I ran outside and I ran all the way up the driveway 害羞草研究所� they were gone,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎s I was running up there, I knew instantly something happened.害羞草研究所�
Gaudreault began driving around the town, looking for the man害羞草研究所檚 black Audi. He sent Stefanski a series of increasingly desperate Facebook messages. 害羞草研究所淪eriously where did you go???? You need to tell me if you leave with him,害羞草研究所� he wrote in one of the messages at 8:16 a.m. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 trust him.害羞草研究所�
He said he informed police and they joined the search within 90 minutes.
Gaudreault said he knew the owner of a neighbouring storage facility had video surveillance that captured the top of the driveway, so he asked if he could sift through that footage. The grainy images of Stefanski would be the last time he saw her alive.
After the video was turned over to RCMP, they notified the public that Stefanski was missing around 7:30 p.m. They said in a news release she was last seen around 8:05 a.m. while speaking with her ex-husband 害羞草研究所渂efore departing unexpectedly with him害羞草研究所� in his 2007 black Audi.
That night, Gaudreault said he watched about 25 SWAT trucks speed past his house and head toward Mable Lake, north of Lumby.
The next day, police helped him tell Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 children that their mother had been found dead.
Mounties said in a news release that a woman害羞草研究所檚 body had been found, that foul play was suspected and a man 害羞草研究所渂elieved to be involved in this death was arrested in the general vicinity.害羞草研究所� But it said he was released from police custody with 害羞草研究所渁 series of conditions to abide by.害羞草研究所�
That is theextent of what police have told Gaudreault and the public about the case.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 walking free (and) from that point forward, we害羞草研究所檝e been kind of on the run,害羞草研究所� Gaudreault said.
He said the family had been in and out of hiding for weeks, staying at Airbnbs after he was granted temporary guardianship of Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 children.
害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 been able to grieve yet, not fully,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e scared for our lives. Nobody should have to live like this.害羞草研究所�
Gaudreault said police told him the suspect was re-arrested about 2 1/2 hours after his release, when he was found near the house. Again, Gaudreault said, the man was released.
害羞草研究所淪uspicious death investigations are complex and can take time for the police to gather all the relevant evidence and submit a report to Crown counsel,害羞草研究所� RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
He said the Crown would review the evidence and the report before deciding whether or not to charge. He said the Supreme Court of Canada害羞草研究所檚 Jordan rule, which sets a time limit from a charge being laid to the end of a trial, 害羞草研究所渋s not currently a factor in the Lumby suspicious death害羞草研究所� case.
害羞草研究所淚 have seen the concerns expressed by individuals on social media about the suspect害羞草研究所檚 release/lack of charges and while I can understand those concerns, the threshold for charge approval is not insignificant,害羞草研究所� Clark said.
害羞草研究所淔urther, the police do not have the authority to hold someone indefinitely until the investigation is complete.害羞草研究所�
He said in the statement that there are circumstances where police may place conditions on a person to mitigate potential risk to the public.
害羞草研究所淚n cases where a person fails to abide by their conditions, additional measures may be sought through the courts.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所楢LWAYS LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS害羞草研究所�
Gaudreault said the family害羞草研究所檚 plight shows the province isn害羞草研究所檛 doing enough to protect victims害羞草研究所� families.
He said victim services were insufficient and did not help ensure their safety. He also suggested there should be some mechanism, such as a tracking device, that could help ensure a suspect doesn害羞草研究所檛 come into contact with victims or their families.
害羞草研究所淭hings need to be changed,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e never going to feel safe until we know that he害羞草研究所檚 behind bars.害羞草研究所�
Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 16-year-old daughter agreed, saying she has had nightmares every night since her mother害羞草研究所檚 death and remains 害羞草研究所渙n edge,害羞草研究所� especially when at home.
害羞草研究所淭hey seem to take the side of the criminal and not the side of the victims,害羞草研究所� she said, referring to the justice system. 害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 unfair that we害羞草研究所檙e the ones who have to change our everyday lives, while (the suspect) gets to walk out and just kind of do whatever he wants.害羞草研究所�
Mayor Acton also pointed to the lack of communication from authorities as a reason for widespread concern, not only for Lumby but for the larger region.
害羞草研究所淵ou still see some chatter going on in Facebook 害羞草研究所� and I think it害羞草研究所檚 curiosity 害羞草研究所� sort of self-preservation curiosity, not morbid curiosity. People just want to know that this is being handled,害羞草研究所� he said.
He said he had never been directly contacted by authorities about the killing.
Asked about the case in the B.C. legislature last month, B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the government was 害羞草研究所渨orking with police and communities to identify the tools and the changes in terms of laws that need to happen to ensure that police are able to do their job.害羞草研究所�
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said the province was working to address the issue of repeat violent offenders, citing bail reform and the introduction of 12 hubs across the province that consist of police, dedicated prosecutors, and probation officers focused on tackling repeat violent offenders.
In the meantime, residents are finding their own ways to cope.
Sarah Draht, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with a background in security, began offering free women-only self-defence workshops in nearby Vernon in Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 honour.
害羞草研究所淪elf-defence isn害羞草研究所檛 that normalized, because it害羞草研究所檚 such a fragile topic,害羞草研究所� Draht said. 害羞草研究所淭he goal is to prevent this on any level from happening to another female.害羞草研究所�
She said the response was 害羞草研究所渙verwhelming害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� two 75-minute sessions for 40 participants each were filled. Women aged 17 to 70 took part.
De Bourcier helped set up a Facebook group titled 害羞草研究所淛ustice For Tatjana害羞草研究所� that aims to act as a community information hub for the case, saying every day without an arrest is 害羞草研究所渄eflating and alarming.害羞草研究所�
The group, which has more than 3,000 members, highlights community events, such as a Mother害羞草研究所檚 Day BBQ fundraiser for Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 family and a sign-up for people to prepare food for her grieving family.
害羞草研究所淛ustice for Tatjana害羞草研究所� stickers and shirts are available at Ferris害羞草研究所檚 store, the Okanagan Outpost, with proceeds going to the family.
The clothing store in Lumby is displaying paper hearts with messages of support for the family. 害羞草研究所淚 hope your family finds justice and can heal from this horrifying event. Your mother and girlfriend was an amazing woman,害羞草研究所� reads one.
Gaudreault is also thinking of ways to honour Stefanski害羞草研究所檚 memory.
He害羞草研究所檚 thinking about creating advocacy centres in her name to help other victims害羞草研究所� families navigate life after tragedy. He also hopes her death ignites some legislative change to better protect families who fall victim to crime, saying he doesn害羞草研究所檛 blame police for the family害羞草研究所檚 situation.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not the RCMP who害羞草研究所檚 at fault. It害羞草研究所檚 the system,害羞草研究所� he wrote in a May 15 Facebook post. 害羞草研究所淚 want it changed and I hope you all do too. I never want anyone to have to walk in my shoes or to have to feel the way the children and I do. Always looking over our shoulders.害羞草研究所�
Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press
