Brother of Kelowna stabbing victim calls killer a ‘wasted life’

Darwin Rosales said he was in denial when he got the call from authorities in Kelowna saying his brother had been killed.

The youngest sibling in the Rosales family travelled from his home in the Philippines for the start of sentencing of his older brother’s killer Tyler Newton on Wednesday at Kelowna Law Courts.

Darwin said the loss of his brother Caesar Rosales in 2014 has taken a toll on the family.

The two were very close, he said, since they were just over two years apart.

“We grew up together as kids and all the way to college,” he said.

After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, Caesar worked in the IT industry in his home country for 25 years.

In 2001, he moved to Richmond, and later relocated to Kelowna for a job with Kelowna Flightcraft while his 23-year-old son and wife stayed in Vancouver.

“The day he was killed he was about to travel back to Vancouver for his son’s birthday,” said Darwin.

Darwin said his nephew has coped with his father’s death quite well, but for family in the Philippines it’s impacted them greatly.

His 84-year-old mother, who Darwin said was ‘very distraught,’ died before she got the chance to see her son’s killer sentenced.

Reading Darwin's victim impact statement, Crown counsel Colin Forsyth said she was never able to move on from her son’s death.

Darwin said Caesar had assured them many times that Canada was a peaceful and safe country.

“At first, it was total denial,” he said. “We kind of didn’t believe that this thing would really happen.”

While he said he still thinks it’s a peaceful country, he was surprised that the attack seemed so random and unmotivated.

He wouldn’t give his opinion on why he thought his brother was killed, but didn’t hold back when it comes to what he thinks of the killer.

He described seeing Newton in court as “very difficult,” and went as far as to call him a “wasted life.”

“What he did was really treacherous; he didn’t give my brother much chance to defend himself,” said Darwin. “If he doesn’t define a wasted life than what does? The record shows.”

This isn’t Newton’s first conviction, in fact, it’s about his 50^th. From March 2009, to when he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on October 31, 2014, Newton was charged with multiple offenses ranging from drug possession with intent to traffic, to 18 breach of court orders and two dangerous driving convictions.

All of which Crown counsel said proves he disregards both society and the court of law.

“He’s a serial offender, I think the facts point to that statement,” said Darwin. “He should get the maximum sentence.”

It’s pretty clear that Newton won’t be getting the maximum sentence for manslaughter, which he pleaded guilty to on Wednesday. While life in prison could be sought, Forsyth said he’ll be seeking 10 years, minus timed served, for the killer.

When Newton had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, and not guilty to second-degree murder, Darwin said he wasn’t surprised, but overall he said he trusts Crown counsel.

“I’m angry, but not to the point that I would go out of my way to do things I’m not supposed to,” he said, of his current feelings on the case. “We go by rules.”

Overall, Darwin said he and his family are hoping closure will come after Newton's sentence is handed out, expected later in the week.

On Thursday, Newton’s defense Jordan Watt will share the killer’s side of the story.