Murder trial told accused turned pale, almost fell when told of wife's death

A one-time RCMP officer says a Manitoba man accused of killing his wife turned pale and almost fell down when told she was dead.

Const. Richard Lariviere, who has since retired, told Mark Stobbe's second-degree murder trial that he was the officer who broke the news about what police had found.

Stobbe's wife, Beverly Rowbotham, was discovered dead in her car in the early hours of Oct. 25, 2000.

Lariviere said Stobbe "turned kind of white," became very weak and was helped by family members to a chair, where he put his head in his hands.

Lariviere said he did not notice any blood or injuries on Stobbe.

Stobbe, a former political adviser in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, is accused of killing his wife at their home, then driving the body 15 kilometres away to make it look like she had been robbed.

• 

  Mark Stobbe faces a second-degree murder charge for the death of his wife.