Lambertus “Bert” Westervelt, who was charged in April of 2019 for killing his wife in June of 2016, appeared in a Kelowna provincial court room on Monday.
The 63-year-old Lake Country resident, who is not in custody, was scheduled for a pretrial conference. He is expected to appear next in Kelowna Law Courts on Sept. 17 at 9:30 a.m.
Westervelt was taken into police custody in an April 6 arrest for the second-degree murder of his wife Arlene Westervelt, 56.
He was granted bail soon after, on April 16.
At the time of Arlene’s death RCMP said called the incident a tragic accident. She and Bert had been canoeing on the afternoon of June 26, 2016, when their canoe capsized. Police said (Bert) was rescued by a passing boater, but Arlene could not be found.
Despite an extensive search of Okanagan Lake by local fire and rescue personnel that evening, Arlene’s body wasn’t recovered until the following day.
She was found in 35 feet of water, approximately 100 feet from the shore, by trained divers with the RCMP underwater recovery team.
READ MORE: Lake Country man charged in the 2016 killing of his wife
READ MORE: Accused Lake Country wife-killer granted bail
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