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O’Reilly found guilty of manslaughter in 2014 Anahim Lake murders

Sentencing is set for April 19
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Bryan “Everett” O’Reilly was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter at the New Westminster Supreme Court on April 13.

Byran “Everett” O’Reilly has been found guilty of two counts of manslaughter in the 2014 Boxing Day slayings of Matthew Hennigar and Kalvin Andy in Anahim Lake, B.C.

O’Reilly was originally charged with first-degree murder.

Serena Rhem, Christian Craciun and Andrew Jongbloets were charged with second-degree murder.

Rhem and Craciun were found not guilty; Jongbloets was found guilty of manslaughter and is currently serving a six-year sentence.

Hennigar’s widow, Stephanie Santos, says she is in shock and she does not understand the verdict.

“Two charges of manslaughter is ridiculous,” she said. “It’s mind-blowing, this person is responsible for the deaths of two people. My son is asking me where his father is? How do I explain that to him?”

Santos said O’Reilly showed zero emotion during the trial, and that having to testify as a witness was traumatizing.

“To sit and look at the man accused of murdering my husband was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” she said. “It was like reliving that night over again.”

Sentencing is slated for April 19.

This story will be updated as more details are made available.

In March, Andrew Jongbloets was sentenced for his role in the deaths.

Original story from March 8, 2018

On Wednesday, March 7 at B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, Jongbloets was sentenced to six years and two months in prison and was given a 10-year weapons ban.

Initially charged with second-degree murder, Jongbloets was found guilty of the lesser charge manslaughter in the deaths of 23-year-old Matthew Hennigar and 22-year-old Kalvin Andy on Dec. 15, 2017.

Two others accused in the deaths, Christian Craciun and Serena Rhem, were acquitted in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. All three had been charged with second-degree murder.

Jongbloets has a lengthy criminal record with over 60 different charges dating back to 2007.

On Dec. 26, 2014, the Anahim Lake RCMP received a report just before midnight of shots being fired at a home in the 2100 block of Dorsey Road.

Upon arrival, police found Hennigar and Andy dead. Hennigar lived in Anahim Lake and Andy was from Bella Coola.

Police said the victims and accused were known to one another, although their relationships and the motive for the killings were not released at the time.

In December the judge granted an application from the defence lawyer to apply a publication ban on all evidence heard during trial. Bryan “Everett” O’Reilly is charged with first-degree murder and his trial is currently underway in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster.

In 2016, charges were dropped against Lucille Mack, 33, and Steven Mecham, 22, who were each facing two counts of manslaughter using a firearm in the case.

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