Title: Former Kamloops Lawyer Accused of Planning Client's Murder

The trial of Rogelio ‘Butch’ Bagabuyo, a former lawyer from Kamloops, centers on allegations that he meticulously planned the murder of his client, Mohd Abdullah. The Crown attorney, Ann Katrine Saettler, presented her closing arguments in a B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, detailing a series of actions that suggest premeditation.

Saettler stated that Bagabuyo wrote a "planning note" prior to the murder, instructing himself to dispose of evidence, avoid using his mobile phone or E-watch, and turn off his GPS. This note indicates that he had considered the logistics of committing the crime, she argued. Bagabuyo is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Abdullah, a lecturer at Thompson Rivers University, who was killed on March 11, 2022.

The court learned that Abdullah had hired Bagabuyo in 2016 to help conceal significant sums of money during his separation from his wife. However, Bagabuyo allegedly misappropriated these funds. Saettler highlighted that a forensic accountant testified that Abdullah transferred over $780,000 to Bagabuyo from 2016 to 2022, with 63 percent of those funds coming directly from Abdullah.

Saettler claimed that Bagabuyo delayed returning Abdullah's money for years, fabricating excuses related to setting up shell corporations and concerns about the Canadian Revenue Agency. As Abdullah grew increasingly frustrated about the missing funds, he pressed Bagabuyo for answers, as evidenced by emails and a 2021 audio recording.

The Crown's theory posits that Bagabuyo decided to kill Abdullah on March 1, 2022, believing he could no longer deceive his client. Saettler presented video evidence showing Bagabuyo purchasing a tote from Home Depot, which matched the one used to conceal Abdullah's body.

Bagabuyo's attorney, Mark Swartz, confirmed that his client admits to killing Abdullah but contends it was manslaughter. Swartz reiterated that the murder occurred at the law office, which was undergoing restoration after a fire.

Saettler detailed how Bagabuyo allegedly stabbed Abdullah during their meeting. She noted that he had brought a duffel bag into the office two hours before the meeting, containing items necessary for the murder and subsequent cleanup. After the killing, Bagabuyo reportedly wrapped Abdullah's body in plastic sheeting, placed it in the tote, and secured it with ratchet straps before loading it into his car.

The Crown also pointed out gaps in Bagabuyo's backyard surveillance footage, suggesting he had planned the murder in advance. Saettler stated that these gaps would have captured crucial evidence, including the storage of the tote containing Abdullah's body.

Bagabuyo was arrested on March 18, 2022, the day after Abdullah's body was discovered by a neighbor's grandson. Initially charged with indignity to human remains, he faced first-degree murder charges more than a year later. He has been out on bail since July 12, 2023.

The B.C. Law Society confirmed that Bagabuyo is no longer a practicing lawyer, and a custodian was appointed to manage his legal practice in May 2022. A conviction for first-degree murder carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years, while manslaughter does not have a mandatory sentence unless a firearm is involved. The trial continues as Swartz prepares to present his closing arguments.