Wesley Gareth Evans

Case information

Defendant: Wesley Gareth Evans Victim: Lavonne Willems (age 27), of Vancouver Victim: Beverly Seto (age 39)

Timeline

• 11/24/1984 — Lavonne Willems was found dead in a home she was watching for friends, with the scene in Vancouver.
• 03/31/1985 — Beverly Seto hosted an open house in Matsqui, British Columbia; when she did not return for supper, her husband found her in the bedroom at the empty house.
• late July — Police received a tip naming a young man from the Matsqui neighborhood as Seto's killer.
• early August 1985 — Police held a young man for questioning, but they found nothing connecting him with the murder.
• early August 1985 — Police detained Wesley Evans on marijuana charges hoping to pressure him for details about the suspect’s movements.
• January 16, 1986 — The opening remarks of Wesley's trial were heard.
• two weeks later (1986) — Wesley Evans was convicted.
• 1986 — He was sentenced to life imprisonment and was required to serve a minimum of twenty-five years before he would be eligible for parole.

Background

Wesley Gareth Evans was Canadian. He had been slow-witted and hyperactive, and he missed long months of schooling because his erratic behavior made attendance impossible.

When he was nine, Evans was hit by a truck and suffered severe head injuries. He was comatose for eight days and, upon regaining consciousness, he had temporary paralysis of his left side. He was released from the hospital after four months of therapy. After that, Evans walked with a pronounced limp and communicated in slurred speech.

Eighteen months later, he was burned over twenty percent of his body while playing with a cigarette lighter. He grew up obsessed with the notion that girls—and later, women—were laughing at his scars. His hidden rage was described as reaching a lethal boiling point.

The offence

Murder of Lavonne Willems

On 11/24/1984, Lavonne Willems, age 27, of Vancouver, was found dead in a home she was watching for friends. She had been murdered in the bedroom and stabbed a total of twenty-five times. Her pants were unbuckled and open at the waist.

Detectives theorized a sexual motive, but they had no suspect in the case.

Murder of Beverly Seto

On 03/31/1985, realtor Beverly Seto, 39, hosted an open house for potential customers in Matsqui, British Columbia, a Vancouver suburb. When she failed to come home for supper, her husband dropped by the empty house and found her car outside with the door ajar. A light was burning in the kitchen even though the guests had long departed.

Her husband moved through the silent rooms and found her wife in the bedroom. Her throat was slashed, and her skirt was bunched up around her waist. The coroner reported Seto had been raped and then stabbed a minimum of twenty times.

Investigation

In late July, police received a tip that named a young man from the Matsqui neighborhood as Seto’s killer.

Officers held the named young man for questioning in early August 1985, but they found nothing to connect him with the murder.

Seeking further information on their suspect, officers detained a friend, 21-year-old Wesley Evans, on marijuana charges, hoping they could pressure him for details of the suspect's movements. In custody, Evans made a surprise confession to the crime. He admitted killing Seto and offered details about the murder of Willems.

Homicide investigators checked their street maps and were startled to discover that Evans lived a short four blocks from the location of the Seto slaying, and barely eight blocks from the house where Willems died.

Trial

The opening remarks of Wesley’s trial were heard on January 16, 1986. Evans was convicted two weeks later.

Sentencing

Evans was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment. He was required to serve a minimum of twenty-five years before he would be eligible for parole. The sentence was imposed in 1986.

Outcome

Evans was sentenced to life in prison, 1986.