Awaiting a decision

Photo: CTV

Laura Letts-Beckett

After three full days of deliberation, the 12-person jury working to deliver a verdict on the innocence or guilt of Peter Beckett have yet to come to a decision. 

Beckett is charged with drowning his wife, Laura Letts-Beckett, in Upper Arrow Lake in August 2010. The couple were from Westlock, Alta., and had been vacationing in B.C. when Letts -Beckett drowned.

Beckett maintains his wife's death was a tragic accident, while the Crown has argued Beckett pushed his wife, who wasn't wearing a lifejacket and couldn't swim, so he benefit financially from a recently-purchased accidental death insurance policy. 

His trial began Aug. 21 and wrapped up Sept. 12. 

The just over three-week trial was a far cry from his four-month trial in Kamloops in 2016 that ended in hung jury. After seven days of deliberations, the jury couldn't resolved their 11-1 voting, and the judge declared it a mistrial. 

The current jury has been sequestered in the Kelowna courthouse since Tuesday, only stopping for lunch and dinner breaks, and to sleep at a nearby hotel through the night. 

The victim's parents and aunt have remained around the courthouse this week, awaiting the jury's decision.