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Suspected killer talks

An audio interview of a man facing a murder charge has been released as the jury deliberates on the case.

Former Vernon resident William Victor Schneider is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Natsumi Kogawa.

The interview took place at a pre-trial centre on Oct. 18, 2016, about three weeks after Schneider was arrested in connection to the 30-year-old Japanese student's death.

The interview does not provide much information on the death of Kogawa whose body was found in a suitcase on the grounds of the Gabriola Mansion in Vancouver on Sept. 28 2016.

Officials were unable to determine the exact cause of death.

During Schneider's interview with police, he describes meeting Kogawa in a library, where they bonded over a book about beer.

"We met, we met, and then we continued to meet. And it … suddenly got very, very heated and, and then went wrong," he tells police in the recording.

It's unclear what he means by "wrong," and he does not specify when asked to elaborate.

Schneider was homeless at the time, but told the officers he never revealed to Kogawa that he was staying in a shelter. He said they wanted to have sex, so he proposed that they meet in a tent.

Schneider maintained he did not know how she died.

"I actually don't know if she die - if her heart went or if it was her breath," he said.
Schneider is charged with second-degree murder and interfering with human remains.

He pleaded not guilty to both counts, but surprised the court Monday by changing his plea on interference charge to guilty shortly before closing arguments began.

- with files from CTV Vancouver



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