Skip to content

Penticton man heads to trial for 1st degree murders of Kamloops brothers

Wade Cudmore is charged with first degree murder in the May 2021 killings
30679695_web1_221019-PWN-CudmoretoTrial_1
Wade Cudmore seen here with his mom Kathy Richardson, has been ordered to stand trial for the murders of the Freyer brothers found dead in Naramata in May 2021. Cudmore’s mom was found murdered in her home in June 2021. There have been no arrests in her case. (Facebook)

The Penticton man charged in the killings of two brothers found dead on a Naramata logging road last May has been ordered to stand trial.

Wade Cudmore’s four-day preliminary inquiry concluded in Penticton Provincial Court on Sept. 28, and he will now move forward with a first-degree murder trial. His next appearance is set for Nov. 21, to fix a date for his trial which will take place in Supreme Court.

Evidence presented at any preliminary trial is under a publication ban.

Cudmore along with 35-year-old Anthony Graham was charged on June 18, 2021, in relation to the deaths of Kamloops brothers Erick and Carlo Fryer.

The Fryer brothers were discovered dead on May 10, 2021, on a remote forest service road in Naramata.

The Freyer brothers of Kamloops were found dead on a remote road in Naramata in May 2021. Wade Cudmore is going to trial, charged with their murders. (File photo)
The Freyer brothers of Kamloops were found dead on a remote road in Naramata in May 2021. Wade Cudmore is going to trial, charged with their murders. (File photo)

Days before Cudmore was arrested in connection to the killings, his mom Kathy Richardson was found murdered in her Naramata home. There have been no arrests or information about Richardson’s murder since she was found by police on June 9, 2021.

READ MORE: Condolences pour in and Naramata in shock of mom’s murder

RCMP continue to search for Graham who remains at large and was the subject of a missing person press release by Prince George RCMP who failed to mention that he was wanted for two murders in Penticton and considered armed and dangerous. Police have since apologized for not including that information in the missing person release.

At the time of Cudmore’s arrest, RCMP Major Crimes said the crimes are gang and drug-related.

“Their [the Freyer] homicides are believed to be connected to gang and drug activities, with alleged criminal activities not limited to Naramata but other areas of B.C. including Northern BC and the Lower Mainland,” said Supt. Sanjaya Wijayakoon of the BC RCMP Major Crime Section.

READ MORE: Kamloops brothers ID’d as pair killed in Naramata

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

<>

Don’t miss a single story and get them delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up today for the Penticton Western News Newsletter.

<>

@PentictonNews
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
Read more