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Kelowna  

Man guilty of murdering partner in West Kelowna hotel room

Guilty, 2nd-degree murder

UPDATE: 12:35 p.m.

Stating the Crown had proven intent beyond a reasonable doubt, Justice Alison Beames determined Tejwant Danjou was guilty of second degree murder in the death of his common-law wife in a West Kelowna hotel room.

Rama Guaravarapu was found suffering from what Justice Beames described as 52 separate areas of injury during a prolonged beating in room 205 of the Best Western Hotel on the evening of July 22, 2018.

During a 94 minute dissertation of the facts around the case and relevant case law, Justice Beames told the court Thursday morning Danjou did not exhibit many of the disorders described by an expert witness called on his behalf.

Those centered around his drinking and Danjou's and a mental condition which led to his belief Guaravarapu was having an affair.

Defence claimed he suffered a "mental disruption at the time of the attack," and could not comprehend death would ensue from the attack.

"All of the evidence of Mr. Danjou's conduct before and after the offence, showed he was acting purposefully...the nature of the attack, coupled with the conduct of Mr. Danjou would, absent of other factors, lead to an inescapable conclusion that Mr. Danjou had the specific intent required to murder," said Justice Beames.

She called his actions before, and after the attack as both "purposeful and calculated."

Justice Beames was also satisfied Danjou was not intoxicated or impaired enough that it would affect his ability to understand the consequences of his attack.

Friends and family of Guaravarapu wept throughout the judge's recounting of the facts, and again when the verdict was read.

Sentencing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14.

Danjou requested to appear at his sentencing via video conference.


ORIGINAL: 11:45 a.m.

A Lower Mainland man has been convicted of second-degree murder in the killing of his former partner in a West Kelowna hotel room in 2018.

Tejwant Danjou, 71, was found guilty Thursday morning of murdering Rama Guaravarapu, in what is the end to an unusual trial. 

Justice Alison Beames delivered the verdict at the Kelowna courthouse, declaring Danjou intended to kill Guaravarapu and her death was not unintentional. 

Danjou never denied killing Guaravarapu, going so far as to plead guilty on the first day of trial. The very next day, Danjou took back his guilty plea, after refusing to admit he had intended to kill her.

By definition, murder is homicide where the accused has the intent to kill, or knew the injuries inflicted are likely to cause death. Homicide without intent to kill is manslaughter, which the defence argued Danjou should have been convicted of. 

On the evening of July 22, 2018, Danjou repeatedly struck Rama Guaravarapu with a wine bottle inside the couple’s hotel room at the West Kelowna Best Western. Guaravarapu, who had travelled from her home in Surrey to the Okanagan with Danjou for a weekend of wine tasting, died on the floor of the room, in a pool of blood and red wine.

The defence had argued Danjou had been suffering from a delusional disorder of the jealous type for many months leading up to the killing, convinced Guaravarapu had been cheating on him. Court heard Danjou had previously been physically violent towards Guaravarapu. She had told her friends that Danjou had threatened to kill her in the past and Guaravarapu had expressed interest in leaving him at least six times prior to her death.

Danjou will be sentenced on Sept. 14.

More to come...

with files from Nich Johansen



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