One Key Witness Needed To Break Bjornson Murder Case
Thursday, October 18, 2012 @ 11:21 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The chief of the Nak’azdli Band at Fort St. James believes it is just a matter of time before someone steps forward with information about the murder of 28-year-old Fribjon Bjornson of Vanderhoof.
Last February 3rd police in Fort St. James were directed to a vacant house of the Nak’azdli reserve to investigate the discovery of partial human remains. The next day North District Major Crime confirmed that the remains were those of Bjornson, who had been reported missing three weeks earlier and whose pick-up was found near the vacant house.
A recent media story claims residents have stated that Bjornson was tortured and decapitated in the basement of a house at a party, that his body was dismembered and disposed of, and that people who know details of the murder are keeping quiet out of fear of a violent gang. The claims have not been substantiated by police.
Nak’azdli Chief Fred Sam tells 250 NEWS it is his belief that there are people in his community who know what happened. “Yes I believe there’s a few people that know what happened. I’m not sure of the number but it’s probably under 20 but I’m not too sure.” Asked whether a gang exists on the reserve, Sam says “No, not really a gang. Some of the people involved may have some violent backgrounds. There’s really no gang here in Fort St. James. There’s people who are dealing in drug dealing too, so that’s happening here.” Police have acknowledged that Bjornson had been living a high-risk lifestyle which involved elements of the drug world.
Chief Sam says he is available for anyone who wants to provide information, in confidence, about the Bjornson murder. He says “some people are probably willing to come forward” but need the reassurance they won’t face repercussions. He feels someone directly involved may want to speak. “Somebody who did it it’s probably on their mind, kind of haunting them, so maybe that’s a good thing that might make them come forward.”
North District RCMP Media Relations officer Const. Lesley Smith says the investigation has been very detailed and remains active. She says officers went door to door in both Fort St. James and Vanderhoof speaking with a large number of people who may have had information. She says “there are a handful of people who we still need to speak to and who may be afraid to come forward. We are reaching out to them to try to get them to speak. If somebody was scared to come forward and they had vital information that can assist us in this investigation, then we would assure their safety. We would ensure that safety precautions would come into play and we would discuss it further if their lives were in danger.
Const. Smith confirms that Bjornson’s head was recovered at the vacant house but the rest of his body has not been located. She says there may be rumors in Fort St. James as to what happened, but if anyone has information regarding dismemberment they need to pass it along to investigators. She also says “We do believe that Fribjon Bjornson was involved in a high-risk lifestyle and was associating with individuals who were involved in the drug trade, and that’s where the risk to your safety, and your life, comes in. You may be in a situation where you don’t think the danger exists but as we see in many cases, and this one as well, being in the wrong place at the wrong time or meeting the wrong people, I believe that was a factor in this case.”
Comments
I feel for all those involved with this: parents, siblings, relatives, friends, witnesses and co-conspiritors. Hopefully someone can find the strength to make the change in their life by telling the police what happened and who did this. It would be a very hard decision to make to tell the truth and possibly risk your own life.
A violent gang?
It’s obvious some people know who the members of this group of cowards are. They need to come forward. This group of cowards need to be put away to prevent them from continuing on with their cowardly ways. You cowards know who you are right?
Maybe this gang of cowards would rather just meet with a few honest law abiding citizens in a field somewhere and deal with this issue without the RCMP getting involved. Afterwards the RCMP can come pick up the leftovers.
Count me in!
I think if someone is going to decapitate a person then it is likely not their first time taking a life.
IMO probably everyone on the reserve knows who did this and likely the police do to. It says a lot about a town like Fort St James when a guy can be murdered in front of twenty plus other people and nobody is talking.
I would think the guilty have no value of money, much less life… probably have their hands out to Chief Sam for a regular income and home. If they were big time drug dealers they wouldn’t need to kill a guy over a paycheck. These guys are likely small time drug users that get their fix by intimidating others, probably look for the biggest hard done by racist in the right location and you’d have your chief suspect… it shouldn’t be that hard to narrow it down even in a town like the Fort.
I grew up in fort st james and it just makes me sick. I agree with Eagleone.. how can 20 people sit back and watch a guy get chopped up and then do nothing about it. Those 20 people should all be arrested as well.
I read an article on CBC stating that some people are refusing to talk to the RCMP because the RCMP aren’t very nice to them and don’t treat them with respect.
Great. I hope you are proud of yourselves. A man was butchered and you know who it is, but don’t tell the police because they “aren’t very nice”.
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