James Plover, a former jail guard, was convicted on July 4 of choking a victim and making threats. His actions included destroying a table with a machete during a violent outburst. Despite the severity of his conviction, both his defense lawyer and the prosecutor agreed to delay his sentencing for up to 10 weeks, pending a psychiatric evaluation. Plover was released on $500 bail with conditions prior to his hearing.

Tragically, less than three hours after the court adjourned, police responded to a report of an assault in a parking lot about four kilometers from the courthouse. There, Plover's estranged wife, Bailey McCourt, was found gravely injured. She later died from her injuries, and Plover has since been charged with second-degree murder.

The identities of the victims in Plover's previous case are protected by a publication ban. McCourt's death has sparked outrage and calls for bail reform, as advocates for victims of intimate partner violence rallied outside the Kelowna court complex following Plover's appearance on the murder charge.

During the July 4 court hearing, Judge David Ruse noted that Plover's relationship with the choking victim had been deteriorating. He described it as "terrible, tumultuous and stressful." The judge stated that Plover choked the complainant, as evidenced by neck bruising shown in court photographs. Plover denied making threats to anyone other than himself and reportedly attempted suicide after the violent incident.

Judge Ruse recounted that Plover had destroyed items of emotional value to the complainant and had expressed suicidal thoughts to his parents. The judge did not accept Plover's claim that the choking incident was an act of self-defense, stating, "This self-loathing for his own actions is inconsistent with his destruction of things that he knew were precious to the complainant."

The judge acknowledged that while the complainant may have exaggerated some details, he found sufficient evidence to conclude that Plover had uttered threats consistent with an intention to manipulate or control the victim. After the judge's remarks, discussions turned to a pre-sentence report for Plover. Both the defense and prosecution agreed that a psychiatric assessment would be beneficial, but a backlog meant the report could take weeks.

Plover's next court date was set for mid-September, and the hearing concluded around 9:56 a.m. Just before 1 p.m., Kelowna RCMP received a report of an assault involving Plover, leading to his arrest and subsequent charge of second-degree murder the following day.

Plover's background includes work as a jail guard for the City of Kelowna and Penticton, and he holds an associate degree in criminal justice from Okanagan College. The City of Kelowna confirmed that he was employed by the Commissionaires, which provided jail guard services. Plover held an Enhanced Reliability Clearance, which requires extensive background checks.

The Commissionaires BC stated, "We categorically condemn all forms of harassment, violence, and spousal abuse." More recently, Plover worked as a manager at a Boston Pizza in Kelowna, including the night before the attack on McCourt. The restaurant's owners declined to comment on his employment. Plover's resume lists "conflict management" as one of his skills.