The man accused of killing Last Door employee Jason Collet begins his murder trial this week in New Westminster Supreme Court.
Collet was killed at the Last Door Recovery Society’s facility on Nanaimo Street on Sept. 16, 2014. His accused killer, Steven Rogers, who was 25 years old at the time, was formally charged with second-degree murder a few days later.
Rogers’ previous trial date, scheduled for summer 2015, was postponed. His new trial started Monday, Feb. 27 and is expected to last about three weeks.
The case has taken several years to make it to trial, which has been difficult for Collet’s family. His parents have been travelling to and from the Lower Mainland from their home in Prince George in order to attend every court appearance.
“It’s been a long time; it’s 29 months coming up to when the trial starts,” Denise, Collet’s mother, told the Record.
Denise doesn’t want the community to forget about her son. At the time of his death, Collet, 38, was working days as a crane operator and splitting his free time between Surrey Search and Rescue and the Last Door Recovery Society, where he worked as an addictions support worker.
“Jason was a big part of the New West community. He had been there for two-and-a-half-years and was really engrossed in the program himself, and really spent a lot of time giving himself, and the community really respected him; loved him. He just cared for people so much, you could just see it in his face,” Denise said.
“We just want to make sure he’s not forgotten.”
