Stefanski heading straight to trial on second-degree murder charges

Murder trial fast tracked

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A North Okanagan man facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of his ex-wife will be heading straight to trial in B.C. Supreme Court.

Vitali Stefanski is charged in the death of Tatjana Stefanski, a Lumby mother of two who was reported missing on April 13, 2024. Her body was discovered the next day.

The Crown is now proceeding by direct indictment — a procedural move that allows prosecutors to send Stefanski straight to trial without a preliminary inquiry. Direct indictment is a special legal power that requires high-level government approval typically reserved for complex cases.

Tatjana’s body was found in rural Lumby on April 14, 2024. On May 31, 2024, Mounties announced Vitali Stefanski was in custody and had been charged with second-degree murder.

The case has been delayed multiple times this summer amid confusion over disclosure issues.

Stefanski’s next appearance in court is scheduled for April 7.