Photo: Contributed

Warren Welters - friends say he was an avid gardener.

The fate of a Kelowna man accused of murdering his roommate rests in the hands of 12 jurors.

Daniel Ruff, 65, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Warren Welters, 51.

The two men lived together for more than a year before Welters was found dead, face down in his bed on June 14.

Defence counsel Grant Gray says Ruff struck Welters in the head with a hammer in self defence, but Crown counsel Colin Forsyth asked jurors to consider the evidence.

“He agreed in cross-examination that he was standing in a southwest position in the room, his feet on the floor, and Mr. Welters was face down when he delivered the fatal blows to the back of his head,” said Forsyth. “Mr. Ruff came into that room when Mr. Welters was face down in the bed and struck him in the back of the head with a hammer."

The jury heard a recording of the 911 call made by by Ruff.

“He’s dead, do you understand that?” Ruff said in the recording. “He’s beyond help.”

Crown said Ruff had no bruising or injuries, despite his contention the two were fighting and Welters choked him. Welters had a blood alcohol level of .295 at the time of his death. 

"There were multiple hits, not one or two," said Crown. 

Friends of Welters said the two men often got into heated and physical arguments and Welters tried several times to kick Ruff out of the home.

"When Mr. Ruff struck Mr. Welters in the back of a head with a hammer, he intended to kill him," said Crown.