Evidence submission hearing begins in trial of man Kamloops man accused of killing his mother in 2023

KAMLOOPS — UPDATE (June 9): An earlier headline for this story stated testimony in the trial had been delayed. A spokesperson for the BC Prosecution Service contacted CFJC Today Tuesday to indicate the January 2027 date had previously been set to begin hearing testimony, but had been improperly recorded in the court registry, leading to the impression there has been a delay.

EARLIER: A high profile murder trial got underway in the Kamloops Law Courts Monday (June 8), but it’s not expected to kick into high gear until the new year, though the reasons why cannot be reported on because of a publication ban.

Brandon Donovan is charged with second-degree murder in the March 2023 death of his own mother, Jo-Anne Donovan.

In the days before his arrest, Brandon spoke to CFJC Today and asked people for help in locating his mother, who at the time was considered to be a missing person. Ten days after her disappearance, Jo-Anne’s body was found not far from her Westsyde home and Brandon was charged in September 2023.

The court is current hearing voir dire or a “trial within a trial” on whether certain materials should be admissible as evidence for upcoming jury trial. The voir dire trial is scheduled to last 10 days, and the information being presented in court cannot be reported on because of the publication ban.

The jury trial will is scheduled to now begin on Jan. 11, 2027, and its expected to last four weeks.