KATHY MICHAELS
Black Press
Matthew Foerster was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Taylor Van Diest, but the justice system has yet to see the last of the Cherryville man.
Lingering allegations will bring Foerster back to Kelowna next month.
Crown Counsel Ian Currie said two outstanding files remain and on May 5 Foerster will return to court to schedule a trial for those matters.
The first charge is in connection with an alleged home invasion in Cherryville on Oct. 19, 2004 and involves a 19-year-old woman. The second relates to an alleged attack at Kelowna’s Garden of Eden escort agency April 12, 2005. As a result of that incident, he is facing one count of sexual assault and unlawful confinement.
If “hypothetically” he were convicted of those crimes, Currie said his sentence would be served concurrent to the sentence he’s now facing. A guilty verdict would not even alter his 25-year parole eligibility.
It’s something Taylor Van Diest’s mother Marie sees as a fault in the system.
“I am certainly hoping (those victims) will have their justice as well,” Van Diest said.
“The maximum is 25 years, so whether this goes forward or not, what justice will they get? He’ll serve no further time.”
Van Diest said she’s not heard if the women in those cases will go through the court process, but can imagine that the prospect of reliving Foerster’s alleged actions “would just be too traumatizing.”
Also facing legal repercussions from Taylor Van Diest’s murder is Stephen Foerster, Matthew’s father.
He’ll be in a Vernon courtroom May 5 for a charge of accessory after the fact to murder.
