Accused murderer says he accidentally killed friend, gambling partner in struggle over $10,000
Vida Smith was last seen on July 21, 2020
The Calgary man accused of murdering his blackjack partner and friend of 30 years said he accidentally strangled her during a struggle in his car when she tried to steal $10,000 from him.
Chris Lee, a.k.a. Kevin Barton, testified in his own defence Monday.
Lee, 63, is on trial for second-degree murder in the death of Vida Smith, 69. Her body has never been found.
Lee told jurors on Monday he left her tarped body in the mountains near Banff.
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Under questioning from defence lawyer Cory Wilson, Lee said he and Smith dated on-and-off between about 2000 and 2010 but had been "just friends" since then.
"I have no doubt that each and every one of you are left with more questions than answers," Wilson said in his opening address to the jury.
Wilson said the killing was a "tragic accident" that took place during a struggle lasting "no more than 30 seconds."
The defence lawyer told jurors Lee should be convicted only of manslaughter.
On July 21, 2020, Lee and Smith met at a Starbucks in northeast Calgary. Lee said he planned to buy the passport belonging to Smith's ex-husband but was hoping to negotiate down from her $10,000 asking price.
Lee testified he believed the document would help him get into local casinos.
Both Smith and Lee earned money as blackjack card counters. At times, travelling the world — including to South America, India and Australia — to gamble.
But Calgary casinos were wise to the pair's card counting skills, and although it's not an illegal practice, the businesses had banned them.
'I grabbed her'
After about 20 minutes at the Starbucks, the pair got into Lee's vehicle to complete the transaction, he said. After counting the $10,000, Smith handed Lee a document that was not a passport.
Her daughter previously testified that Smith had planned to sell a birth certificate to Lee.
Lee said that when he rejected the certificate, Smith told him "that's what you get" and started to get out of the car with his money.
"I grabbed her," said Lee. "It was a split second reaction."
'She's gone'
The two struggled, Lee told jurors. He said his arm was on her neck.
Then, he said, she went "limp … like a rag doll."
"A matter of seconds and she's gone," he said.
Lee said he started to think about going to prison for life and "panicked."
He drove to his girlfriend Winnie Lo's home and transferred Smith's body to the back of his Cadillac Escalade.
Body taken to mountains
The plan, said Lee, was to "live off the land" in northern Alberta.
Over the next few days, Lee said, he gathered all of his cash and guns.
The body, despite bags of ice placed on top, was beginning to deteriorate, said Lee. He testified that four or five days after he killed Smith, he drove to the mountains and left her body at a rest stop "somewhere between Banff and Canmore."
After that, Lee said, he worked to get rid of the smell, using baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and other cleaning products.
Once Lee learned police had knocked on his door and were looking for him on July 29, he started to get rid of more evidence.
A surveillance unit videotaped Lee vacuuming the back of his Escalade and spotted him tossing Smith's keys in nearby bushes.
After buying more cleaning products, police moved in and arrested Lee.
At the time, Smith had $44,000 in cash, five loaded guns, 1,000 rounds of ammunition, knives, masks and a set of handcuffs — all seized by officers.
Inside the vehicle, police found Smith's purse, cellphone and wallet.
Lee admitted he lied to police during his interrogation, explaining he was "very scared" at the time.
On the first day of trial, Lee offered to plead guilty to manslaughter, which was rejected by prosecutors Shane Parker and William Tran.
The prosecution will have its chance to cross-examine Lee on Tuesday.
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