Week one of the Tyler Vandewater murder trial at Prince Albert Court of Queen's Bench has wrapped up. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Murder Trial

“I didnt know what to do and I panicked,” accused testifies at murder trial

Jan 31, 2020 | 6:32 PM

The man who stabbed his cell mate over 30 times, is claiming he acted in self-defence.

Tyler Vandewater, 31, who is facing a charge of second degree murder in the June, 2017 death of Chris Van Camp, had the opportunity Friday to tell his side of the story as the first witness called by the defence.

Vandewater recalled Van Camp, who he referred to as “family”, was acting very paranoid the night of June 6, when he had just been returned to prison, after breaching parole conditions. Prior to Van Camp’s release from the prison in April, the two men had shared a cell for more than eight months with no issue.

“He was thinking people were plotting on him,” Vandewater testified, adding Van Camp was asking for “his blade” back. When Vandewater retrieved the weapon from a desk in the cell, he said Van Camp’s agitation increased and he continued to pace back and forth in the cell, gripping the weapon, and wearing only his boxer shorts.

“I’m like man chill out, relax man,” Vandewater said. “You’re tripping… go to sleep.”

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According to Vandewater, Van Camp took exception being told what to do, telling Vandewater he was not a “little bitch” and when the two men were standing face to face, claimed Van Camp lunged at him with his weapon.

“I grabbed onto him, pushed him into the desk,” Vandewater said. “I gave him a couple punches to the face and I threw him to the ground.”

According to Vandewater the fight started sometime between midnight and 12:30 a.m. Over the course of the next couple minutes, Vandewater said he stabbed his cell mate repeatedly, and kicked him in the head, until Van Camp, whose body was now between the cell’s toilet and the wall suddenly stopped moving and went limp.

“I didnt know what to do and I panicked,” Vandewater said, then described how he wrapped his cell mate’s body in a blanket and placed it on the lower bunk.

“And then I cleaned up all the blood and put it in bags under the bed,” Vandewater recalled, describing how he even changed his own clothes.

Vandewater, who suffered scratches to his elbows and side from the altercation, estimated the entire clean up process took about 30 minutes and then he sat down to watch TV.

“I really wasn’t watching anything,” he said, recalling feelings of fear for what other inmates on the range might do if they found out what he had done, and telling the correctional officers on duty was also not a possibility.

“I’d rather be in that max cell than being known as a snitch and getting stabbed everywhere I go,” he said.

At 8:06 a.m. Van Camp’s stiffened body was discovered by correctional officers and Vandewater was arrested soon after. According to the autopsy report, Van Camp was stabbed over 30 times. Vandewater was asked by defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle why he stabbed his cell mate so many times.

“I didn’t even think my weapon was working so I kept going,” Vandewater replied, adding Van Camp was still putting up a fight.

As he left the courthouse Friday, escorted by Deputy Sheriffs, Vandewater was asked by paNOW how it felt to tell his side of the story.

“It felt great,” he replied.

Van Camp’s mother Lauren Laithwaite was also outside the courthouse and spoke briefly with reporters.

“I don’t believe a word he said, not a word,” she said.

Laithwaite has sat in the courtroom everyday this week, listening to the evidence. In addition to Vandewater’s testimony, Laithwaite was also exposed to seeing the graphic autopsy photos earlier in the day. Laithwaite confessed Friday was the toughest day so far.

“Nobody wants to see their child in that condition,” she said.

The trial has been adjourned to Monday morning, at which time the Crown will have the opportunity to cross examine Vandewater. The defence is expected to call one more witness, the inmate who occupied the neighbouring cell and who had also engaged in conversation with Van Camp the night of June 6.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell