Skip to content

Accused murderer said his confession to police a “very big mistake”

Jason Klaus said he was “overwhelmed” after hours of police interviewing when he made confession
9498161_web1_171028-RDA-Local-Klaus-Trial-Day-5-PIC-2--1-

Jason Klaus said he was “overwhelmed” by hours of police interviewing and lied about planning the murder of his parents and sister.

“I was just so wore out,” Klaus testified in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Wednesday morning where he had taken the stand in his own defence.

“I was overwhelmed. I was just beat down,” said Klaus, of the several interviews he faced at Red Deer RCMP detachment the day after his August 2014 arrest in Stettler.

“I ultimately gave them a false confession.”

Defence lawyer Allan Fay asked Klaus why he would admit to something he did not do given his fear of going to jail.

“I just said it because I just wanted to tell them (police) what they wanted to hear.”

Klaus, 41, was arrested in Stettler on Aug. 15, 2014 and charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his parents, Gordon and Sandra, and sister Monica. His friend Joshua Frank, 32, was also arrested that day and faces the same charges.

All three Klauses were shot to death and the family farmhouse burned down early on Dec. 8, 2013.

After hours of persistent questioning, Klaus eventually admitted late in the day that he had planned the deaths of his family members but did not pull the trigger.

Klaus said Joshua Frank did the shooting and poured gasoline and lit it to destroy the house and evidence at the Klaus family farm, 10 km northeast of Castor.

Klaus said he feared what Frank, or associates of his, would do if he told the truth to police. Frank had threatened to kill him and a family member more than once previously, Klaus has testified.

The same story about organizing the murders was told to an undercover RCMP officer posing as the head of a crime organization in a Mr. Big sting in 2014.

Klaus suggested the story was meant to help his rise through the organization.

“I did this to show (Mr. Big) I could be honest,” he testified. “I wanted the lifestyle they had and I wanted to be part of this family.”

Klaus said every day of the almost 40 months he has spent in jail awaiting his trial he has regretted his false confession to police following his arrest.

“Looking back now, I made a very big mistake in confessing that, because I did not kill my family.”

In the afternoon, Klaus was cross-examined by Tonii Roulston, who is representing Frank.

Roulston took aim at Klaus’ story that he had forged his father’s name on four cheques for a total of about $8,000 in late July or early August.

Klaus testified that he used the money to feed his cocaine and gambling habits.

He came clean with his parents in an emotional meeting in September when he admitted what he had done and his drug problem. His mother burst into tears at the revelations and his father expressed his disappointment that he would throw away the family’s trust over something so stupid.

Klaus said he paid back the money with $4,000 in cash left over mostly from gambling winnings and by giving his father four heifer cows.

Roulston tried to pin Klaus down on when the family meeting took place since he insisted he did not forge any cheques after that.

She showed him cheques written in September, prompting Klaus to say the meeting must have been in October although he was not sure when.

More cheques were shown him from Oct. 4, Oct. 18 and Oct. 23. Then, one by one she showed him about half a dozen cheques written Nov. 1-29 totally $7,750, some of which Klaus claimed were legitimate.

More cheques were shown: Dec. 2 for $1,800, Dec. 5 for $2,100.

So when was the meeting? she asked.

“Again, I don’t recall. I don’t have an answer for you,” he said.

Roulston put it to Klaus that he made up the story about admitting his thefts to his parents to remove a possible motive for killing them.

“I do not agree with you, no,” said Klaus.

Roulston continues her cross-examination on Thursday.



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter