Skip to content

In Langford, a chilly vigil in the wind, and frank talk about domestic violence

The light from electric candles ­flickered on a quiet Langford cul-de-sac as friends and relatives gathered for a vigil in memory of Kerri Weber, the 55-year-old Langford woman allegedly killed by her husband last week.

The light from electric candles ­flickered on a quiet Langford cul-de-sac as friends and relatives gathered for a vigil in memory of Kerri Weber, the 55-year-old Langford woman allegedly killed by her husband last week.

The vigil opened the door for a frank discussion about domestic ­violence during the pandemic, as family members revealed that Weber was planning to leave her husband before her death.

Bracing against a chilly wind, family and friends surrounded 1214 McLeod Place, outside the home where Weber was found dead on Nov. 6, a day after the killing ­allegedly took place. Her husband, Ken Weber, 56, was arrested on Nov. 6 and has been charged with second-degree murder in ­connection with his wife’s death.

“Yes, there was domestic ­violence,” said Weber’s sister-in-law Karen Reilly, who lives in the West Shore. Reilly said an incident ­happened not long after the couple married in September 2019 that changed the dynamic of the ­relationship, leaving Kerri Weber to be “more caregiver than wife.”

“She expressed plans to me to leave the marriage if things did not improve, we think this is what may have happened last Thursday,” Reilly told those gathered. “If there’s a take-away from this, please check in with people, especially loved ones and friends and especially with the pandemic and mental-health issues. And don’t leave an abusive relationship on your own, seek help, talk to somebody.”

Ken Weber remains in police ­custody. He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 19. The homicide is being investigated by the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit.

Reilly was married to Weber’s brother, also named Ken, who died at age 50 in 2013. Weber moved to the West Shore in October 2018 to live with Reilly, her children and her husband, Mike, who were also at the vigil.

Weber’s two grown children from an earlier marriage, Prairie and Logan, were unable to attend the vigil, as they live in Ontario and ­Quebec, respectively.

In a written statement read by Reilly, Prairie and Logan said they were touched by the outpouring of support from those who knew and loved their mother. “To see how loved our mother was here in Victoria brings us comfort during this extremely ­difficult time,” they said.

Logan said his mother “lived a life full of passion with an authentic fire that so few of us can access. She always led with her heart, lived her life how she wanted, spoke her mind and most importantly, cared deeply for those she loved.”

Prairie said her mother was always trying to help people, whether it was cooking a meal, helping a young mother in need or sticking up for a child being picked on. She said Weber’s dog, Alexus Baby Dog, was her honorary third child. The family revealed that the chihuahua was also killed.

“If there’s any relief in all of this, it’s knowing they’re together the way it should be,” Logan’s statement read. “May they rest in peace together.”

Neighbour Christopher White, who first met Kerri Weber when he brought gingerbread cookies to welcome the couple to McLeod Place, sang You’ll Never Walk Alone. White wanted to hold the vigil as a way for the community to grieve together and also to raise awareness about domestic abuse. He said every time he saw the couple walking along the Galloping Goose trail or in the grocery store, Kerri Weber’s “smile was there but there was something hidden.” Weber had only moved to the home on McLeod Place a year ago but in that short time, her warm personality made her a beacon in the community, he said.

Weber was born in Moose Jaw, Sask. and moved to the Ottawa area, where she raised her kids. When she moved to B.C. in 2018, she was excited to explore Tofino and loved walking along the Esquimalt Lagoon, said Reilly.

She embraced yoga and veganism and relished working in her garden and watching the birds congregate around her feeder.

Weber’s childhood friend Pam Ludwar, who lives in Summerland and could not attend the vigil, said she’s still struggling to understand that her “once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend” is gone.

Ludwar confirmed that Weber’s death was the result of a pattern of domestic abuse but declined to share more details for fear of jeopardizing a trial.

“My heart is broken and I feel panicked when I think of her last moments,” Ludwar said. “She believed that she could handle any situation because she’d been a survivor. It was second nature for her to make the best out of things. Sadly, none of these traits can make you immune to this type of tragedy.”

She hopes other women experiencing abuse reach out for help, even if they feel like they have everything under control. She understands that leaving an abusive partner can feel as overwhelming as staying, and she encourages friends and family who know or suspect their loved ones are suffering abuse to help them see a way out of a dangerous relationship.

“I am going to miss Kerri with all my heart. After 42 years of friendship, I feel like part of me went with her. She was the one that I shared the best and worst moments of my life with, walked down memory lane with and felt the joys and pain of life with,” Ludwar said.

Organizations that help people experiencing domestic or sexualized violence are reporting that, amid the pandemic, the demand for their services is higher than ever and the severity of abuse being reported is much worse, according to the Ending Violence Association of B.C. Information about organizations that help victims of domestic violence can be found here: www.domesticshelters.org/help/bc/victoria

kderosa@timescolonist.com

regan-elliott@timescolonist.com

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks