Dead dog in yard was first clue in 8-month triple murder investigation, RCMP tell judge
Janice Johnston | CBC News | Posted: October 27, 2017 10:19 PM | Last Updated: October 27, 2017
'We know you planned to murder your family that night,’ RCMP interrogator told Jason Klaus
The dead dog in the yard — that's what made police suspicious.
Shot to death and left outside a burned-out farmhouse, the dog's body set in motion an eight-month RCMP investigation now being unveiled at a triple-murder trial in Red Deer.
On Friday, police told Court of Queen's Bench Justice Eric Macklin they believe Jason Klaus shot his mother, father and sister in the head on Dec. 8, 2013, then set fire to the family's Castor-area farmhouse to destroy evidence.
- Alberta man accused of family murders refused lie detector, wouldn't give DNA sample
- 'I'm not a cold-blooded killer,' says Jason Klaus, accused of 3 counts of 1st-degree murder
The day after charges were laid, RCMP Sgt. Rob Kropp told Klaus that finding the dog's body outside the house was the first indication police had that something was amiss.
There was blood in the snow, and a shell casing was found near the home.
If there was a mistake being made, I'd say, Jason, the dog was it. - RCMP Sgt. Rob Kropp
The medical examiner later determined the chocolate lab had been shot to death, confirming the RCMP's initial suspicions.
The bullet found inside the animal, the medical examiner determined, was likely fired from a semi-automatic Ruger.
"The dog was initially the most important piece of information," Kropp said in his interview with Klaus. "If the dog hadn't been found in the condition it was found, we may not have investigated this as a homicide."
"If there was a mistake being made, I'd say, Jason, the dog was it."
The news elicited no visible reaction from Klaus, who is now on trial for three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, Sandra and Gordon, and his sister, Monica. He is also charged with arson.
It took RCMP eight months to arrest Klaus. The charges followed an undercover Mr. Big operation that also resulted in the arrest of Klaus's friend, Joshua Frank.
In mid-August 2014, Klaus sat in an interrogation room in the Red Deer RCMP detachment.
All interviews police conducted with him were videotaped. Some of those videos have been played in court this week.
As Kropp outlined the lengths police had gone to in gathering evidence, Klaus leaned back in a chair with his arms folded, staring straight at the wall.
"We were listening to all of your telephone conversations from very early on in the investigation," Kropp told Klaus.
"We had your vehicles and your residence, and Monica's residence, listened to as well. So any communications we had in those places, we listened to there, too.
"There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows you're responsible."
Klaus showed no reaction.
'I don't think you're a cold-blooded killer'
He had already resisted earlier entreaties to tell his side of the story to another interrogator.
Staff Sgt. Mike McCauley tried an appeal to Klaus's sense of decency.
"Jason, I don't think you're a cold-blooded killer," McCauley said. "You're not a monster. You're not a lunatic. You're completely sane. You're a completely average guy."
McCauley said under different circumstances he could imagine going for a beer with Klaus.
The tactic failed.
"No statement," Klaus said. "I'm being silent right now."
Finally McCauley switched gears, offering to show Klaus what evidence police had gathered.
"The evidence against you is overwhelming," he said. "Would you like to see some of the evidence, so you can make an informed choice on what you want to do with the rest of your life?"
Klaus mumbled a half-hearted, "I guess so."
'We know you planned to murder your family'
The RCMP officers then began to lay out the case they had carefully built over the previous eight months.
"We know you planned to murder your family that night," Kropp said, "because they were all in the same place."
They told Klaus about the dog. They told him a jerry can had also been found close to the burned-out house. Lab tests showed there was gas in the container.
"We know the house was lit with some gas to start the fire," Kropp told Klaus.
"After the fire was set, you fled that location. We know that the white GMC Sierra was left by the Battle River — right where you left it.
"We know the firearm that was used to kill them was dumped in the Battle River."
Kropp didn't tell Klaus at that point how police could be so sure.
But the day after he was charged in August 2014, RCMP held a news conference and announced police divers had recovered evidence near Big Knife Provincial Park. The Battle River runs through the park.
At the time, RCMP refused to specify what evidence had been found, stating only that it was "very significant" in their decision to lay first-degree murder charges.
Trial adjourned early
There are still hours left to watch on the interrogation tape, as the RCMP continues to reveal the evidence gathered during the long investigation.
But the first-degree murder trial was abruptly halted at the lunch break because co-accused, Joshua Frank, had a dental appointment, and it was unclear if he would feel well enough to return to the courthouse later in the day.
The trial resumes Monday.