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Tatajana Stefanski's ex-husband charged with second degree murder in her death

Ex charged with murder

The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski has been charged with second-degree murder of the slain Lumby mother of two.

In a news release Friday evening, police say Vitali Stefanski was charged in the murder of his ex wife.

“Although this investigation to date has had its many challenges, the recent charges brought against Mr. Stefanski are the result of the tireless investigative work done by the members of the Southeast District Major Crimes Unit and Vernon RCMP Detachment,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Smart, NCO i/c BC RCMP SED MCU.

Vitali has been arrested and is currently in custody pending a court appearance.

Tatjana’s boyfriend at the time of her murder, Jason Gaudreault, has expressed his frustration about Tatjana’s suspected killer walking free. He and Tatjana’s two children have felt unsafe in their home with no arrests since his partners death.

A Justice for Tatjana movement, wanting to see her killer arrested, has been growing in the community.

Tatjana was first reported as abducted from her home in Lumby on April 13. Mounties said she was believed to be with her ex-husband and told the public to keep an eye out for his vehicle.

Her body was found the next day, April 14, in a rural location and a man believed to be involved in her death was arrested in the general vicinity. The man was later released from police custody with conditions.

Handling of the case has come under scrutiny, with the B.C. police watchdog investigating how the RCMP dealt with alleged threats against Tatjana four months before she disappeared.

Gaudreault said previously that the couple went to police last December about "extreme" threats sent to Stefanski's father in Germany, threatening to "chop her up" and "send her back in a body bag."

The Independent Investigations Office said last week it was examining "what if any role police action or inaction may have played in the woman’s death."

with files from The Canadian Press



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