Pickton appeal verdict leaves victims' families dissatisfied

The decision by the B.C. Court of Appeal to allow the six second-degree murder convictions of Robert William Pickton to stand, while opening up the possibility of a new trial, has left victims' families dissatisfied with the judicial process.

The convicted serial killer, a pig farmer from Port Coquitlam, B.C., was charged with the first-degree murder of 26 women missing from Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside.

Some of the families of the six women Pickton was convicted of murdering were in the courtroom on Thursday, and said the only just path would be to ensure Pickton is tried for the murders of all 26 women.

Susie Kinshella, the sister of Wendy Crawford, one of the 20 women Pickton is charged with murdering, said she hoped she was speaking for all of the families when she said she was frustrated.

"We don’t know what’s going to happen … there’s no closure to even the six women … and it’s hard on the families, it’s frustrating, we feel like we are being let down by the judicial system," Kinshella said.

She told reporters the families want the remains of their loved ones released by the coroner and that they feel they are being let down by the government in other ways.

"The government came to my house and told me Pickton was charged with my sister’s murder ... I don’t care if he is in jail for 25 years on another case, I care that there is a guilty or not guilty on behalf of my sister and all the other families that are involved in all of this. It’s been a long haul and we are tired, but we want to put closure to all this, and it’s very difficult to [do that]," she said.

Rick Frey, the father of Marnie Frey, whom Pickton was convicted of murdering, heard about the verdict while he was in Prince Rupert. He said he wants the Crown to try Pickton for the murders of the other 20 women.

"You just have to be tough and just like to see some justice done here … I don't think justice is being served although our daughter was one of the ones he was convicted for," Frey said.

Thursday's ruling gives Pickton an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada — if he chooses to exercise it.

His lawyer said no decision would be announced until the legal team has reviewed Thursday’s judgment.

The Supreme Court could order a new trial for Pickton.