People rally in Kelowna as B.C. man charged with murder in woman's death appears in court

Hugs, tears, and signs with slogans in protest of domestic abuse filled the steps of the Kelowna Law Courts building on Thursday, ahead of James Plover's first appearance in court on a charge of second-degree murder.

Plover is accused in the death of Bailey Plover, who died after an attack in a parking lot on Enterprise Way on July 4 that put another woman in the hospital.

"I think all the trauma in my life has led me to be strong for this day," said Karen Fehr, Bailey Plover's mother, outside of the courthouse.

Fehr said she learned of the attack around 11 that night after she found a note to call Bailey's friends, stuck to the door of her house.

"She had been passed away for an hour and a half by the time I heard," said Fehr. "I wondered all night where she was."

Fehr said she had moved in with her daughter and grandchildren three days before Bailey's homicide.

"She called out to me on Mother's Day, terrified," said Fehr. "Every night she was sleeping a little bit better, but every day she would wake back up and it would be the same thing."

Plover was convicted of three counts of uttering threats and one count of assault by strangling on the same day as the attack that killed Bailey. Court documents indicate a case of intimate partner violence.

Fehr said her daughter had texted her the morning of Plover's conviction.

"I messaged back right away and said, see, there you go, you know, this is all happening because you're taking the steps necessary to stand up for yourself," said Fehr.

"She got this good news; she probably went out to celebrate on lunch hour. And that was her last lunch hour."

Now in custody, Plover is due in court again on Sept. 16 and will be sentenced on his assault conviction later that month.

'More needs to be done'

The case has drawn the attention of the community and beyond to the issue of intimate partner violence. Nearly 100 people showed up at the courthouse on Thursday in support.

Libbie Philips, the owner of a dessert store in Kelowna, said she first heard of the fatal attack from a post on social media, then later learned the identity of the victim through a news article she read to her husband.

"I stopped mid-sentence when I got to the victim's name… it hit close to home," said Philips, who says she helped Bailey Plover choose desserts for her wedding day.

Philips said she knew Bailey to be a proud mom, with a bright smile, but she had been open on social media about what she was going through.

Philips is hosting a "Bailey's Day" fundraiser at her shop, Cupcasions, on July 15 to support Bailey Plover's children. The funds raised will be managed by the children's maternal grandfather.

A survivor of domestic abuse. Philips says more needs to be done to protect women against violent offenders.

"When it comes to violence, those offenders need to be put in custody, they need to be kept away because they walk away from that courthouse mad, because now they've lost," said Philips.

"And it leaves the victims a target."

"Bailey was very clear; she posted on her social media that she was afraid, and clearly she had a reason," Philips said.

A statement by Kelowna RCMP says police held an event on community safety Thursday at Angel's Way parking lot for an opportunity to address community concerns in response to the July 4 attack.

According to data from Statistics Canada, there were around 124,000 victims of intimate partner violence aged 12 years and older across the country in 2023.

Forty-four per cent of women and girls from the age of 15 who have been in a relationship have reported intimate partner violence, physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, at some point in their lives.

A Government of British Columbia website says 80 per cent of women who experience intimate partner violence don't report it to the police.

Fehr said the justice system has failed her daughter and others like her "in every way, shape or form."

"You know, when you walk into that courtroom, anything can happen," Fehr said. "I've never believed in justice, and I'm never going to believe in justice."