By Beach Radio

Foerster Admits To Killing Teen; Family ‘Devastated’

Mar 12, 2018 | 12:11 PM

A guilty pleas was entered in BC Supreme Court in Vernon by Matthew Foerster today.

He plead guilty to second degree murder in the 2011 killing of 18 year old Taylor Van Diest in Armstrong.

Foerster, believed to be 32 years old, will be back in court in April 9th to be sentenced.

It’s believed he will have to serve at least 17 years before being eligible for parole.

The guilty plea ends the need for a second trial for Foerster who appealed his 2014 conviction for first degree murder over mistakes made by the trial judge.

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Paul Albert, Taylor’s uncle, says a plea deal is difficult for the family to accept.

“We’re numb. We’re absolutely numb to tell you the truth. Even when he submitted his plea today of second degree, of course he has to tell the judge that he yes I committed murder and yes I did that. So why is is second degree? Why is it that when he killed her?” wonders Albert.

Albert says the family will have some input at the sentencing hearing, scheduled for three days in Vernon.

“We’re hoping the outcome of an impact statement to the judge will change somethings, the amount of time served and even his plea. I don’t think the plea of second degree will change, but maybe the time will.”

Albert says the family is “devastated,” and beyond what he calls “the angry phase,” and is just trying to get its message across about the lack of justice in this case.

“He (Foerster) won, we lost. We just feel like we’ve lost. It’s sad,” Albert told CJIB News.

Foerster’s original sentence for first degree murder was a minimum 25 years before parole eligibility.

During his trial in Kelowna, the court was told Foerster hit Van Diest on the head with a metal flashlight in what the Crown said was a sex-related attack near the rail tracks in Armstrong on Halloween night 2011.

The 18 year old Van Diest died of her injuries in hospital.

Pictured: Taylor Van Diest

by Beach Radio