Crown seeking life sentence for man guilty of manslaughter in 2021 Naramata death
Published 2:01 pm Wednesday, October 7, 2026
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Crown is recommending life in prison for the 27-year-old found guilty of manslaughter in the 2021 killing of a Naramata woman.
Ekene Anigbo appeared in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna on Oct. 7 for his sentencing hearing in front of Justice Alison Beames.
Anigbo was convicted on Aug. 14 of manslaughter for the killing of 57-year-old Kathleen Richardson, despite having stood trial for first-degree murder.
Richardson was found dead in the basement of her Naramata home on June 9, 2021. The court heard that Anigbo and co-accused, Jalen Falk, climbed into Richardson’s home through an open window and confined her with duct tape and zip ties before she was shot twice in the face causing her death.
Falk pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for Richardson’s death and was sentenced in February to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 16 years.
At the trial, Crown was unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Anigbo was the one who fired the shots that killed Richardson. Justice Beames issued a conviction of manslaughter, as it was proven by Crown that both Anigbo and Falk had entered Richardson’s home, confined her and played a role in her death while attempting to locate Richardson’s son.
The charge of manslaughter with use of a firearm carries a minimum prison sentence of four years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. It was argued by Crown that Anigbo’s violent criminal history and multiple breaches of firearms prohibitions justified a life sentence.
If the Justice does level a life sentence for manslaughter, under Canadian law Anigbo would be allowed to apply for parole in 10 years.
Crown counsel argued at trial that the killing was part of a larger conspiracy related to the retrieval of stolen drugs and money belonging to an acquaintance of Anigbo. It was believed by Anigbo and his associates that Richardson’s son, Wade Cudmore, may have the stolen items and that he was residing at his mother’s house.
The conspiracy, Crown presented, started with the death of brothers Erick and Carlos Fryer. Associates of Anigbo believed Cudmore was one of two people involved in the death of the brothers, and that he had stolen drugs and money during the attack. Anigbo and Falk had been tasked to locate Cudmore in order to retrieve the stolen items.
Anigbo and Falk had gone to Richardson’s property with at least two guns in their possession. The court heard that the two men attempted to get information about Cudmore from Richardson when it was discovered he was not at the home, however, she fought back as evident from non-fatal injuries sustained to her hands and arms. It was found that Anigbo and Falk worked together to kill Richardson before fleeing the scene.
Richardson’s body was found later that same day when an RCMP officer attended the property to warn Cudmore that he was possibly in danger.
Cudmore was arrested the following day in relation to the death of the Fryer brothers. He was later found guilty for two counts of second-degree murder.
The sentencing hearing continues through the afternoon of Oct. 7 and is expected to go into a second day.