Teen charged in swarming death of Luka Gordic in Whistler denied bail

One of four teens charged in connection with the swarming death of 19-year-old Luka Gordic in Whistler has been denied bail.

Arvin Golic was re-arrested last week after breaching one of his release conditions. Today, a B.C. Supreme Court judge denied his application for release and he will now remain custody until his trial begins.

The evidence presented at Golic's bail hearing is covered by a publication ban, meaning the condition he breached cannot be published.

Golic was released last June on bail in the amount of $20,000. He has since been under house arrest at his parents' home — one of the conditions of his initial release.

Police allege Golic was one of a group of teens who stabbed Luka Gordic to death on May 17, 2015.

Early that morning, Gordic was walking around Whistler Village with friends.

He became separated from them and went into a 7-11 to buy a bag of chips. As he left the store, police say he was swarmed by up to 10 teenagers, and stabbed multiple times.

Golic is one of four teens charged in connection with the death of Gordic. In October, his charge of manslaughter was upgraded to second-degree murder. The three other accused can't be named because they are underage.

Family tensions high

Nearly a dozen members of Luka Gordic's family were in court for the bail hearing, sitting just rows away from the accused's parents. Arvin Golic appeared in person for today's hearing.

In previous court appearances, tempers flared between the two families, even spilling out from the courtroom and onto the street. Today, as the judge said he was denying Golic's application for bail, members of the Gordic family could be heard yelling "Thank you" as they walked out.

Mike Gordic, Luka Gordic's uncle, says the family is relieved but is still struggling to come to terms with the death.

"Our family can't understand in the first place why this happened, how this could have happened."

"I'm asking this question every day and I don't have an answer," said Gordic.

Golic will remain in custody until his trial. It is scheduled to begin in February 2017.