He’s awake: 85-year-old accused double murderer emerges from coma, deemed fit to stand trial
It’s been one torment after another for family of Robert Freeman’s victims who were allegedly killed over a dog dispute in Chilliwack River Valley mobile home park in 2023
April 1, 2026
On paper it’s like something out of a soap opera. In reality, it’s a horror show.
A double murder over a tiny Yorkie named Suzie. A planned insanity defence. A jury trial scheduled. A traumatized family desperate to get through the slow grind of justice. Then, the accused falls into a coma. A week later, he’s awake.
Family members of John Kavaloff and Valerie Smith have endured dozens of court appearances and several delays caused by Robert Amede Freeman who is charged with two counts of second-degree murder for killing the couple in the Chilliwack River Valley, allegedly over a dispute about their little Yorkie named Suzie.
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At a case-management conference held one week ago, on March 24, 2026, the family learned that the now 85-year-old Freeman was found unconscious and fell into a coma at Chilliwack General Hospital, something that left the entire case in limbo.
At a follow-up hearing held Tuesday (March 31) to check in the with the parties for an update, the family learned that Freeman not only emerged from the coma, he has been deemed fit to stand trial.
John Kavaloff and Valerie Smith were killed by 83-year-old Robert Amede Freeman in their trailer park in the Chilliwack River Valley in September 2023, allegedly over Suzie the Yorkie. (Facebook photos)
If an accused person can’t understand the nature of the proceedings they are determined to be unfit to stand trial. Clearly unconsciousness fits that bill, but even once he woke up, tests needed to be done to see if he could legally continue.
He doesn't have to be able to see or even talk, the bar is not high, but he needs a certain level of fitness.
“He needs to be able to meaningfully participate in the process in court, so he would have to be able to understand what's happening in court and the nature of the proceedings, as well as give instructions to his lawyer and receive instructions from his lawyer and participate in his defence,” explained Vancouver criminal lawyer Kyla Lee.
The couple's children Travis Finnigan and Joy Watson-Finnigan are enduring a roller-coaster of emotions, from bad to terrible. After word of the coma last week, Travis suggested if Freeman just passed away, maybe that would be best for his family to move on. Joy didn't know what to think about the unique and traumatizing situation. Now that he's back awake and deemed fit to stand trial, she's raging with anxiety about the days ahead, having to endure the evidence, including images likely to be shown to the jury.
“It's too much after two-and-a-half years to put us through,” she said. “We are beside ourselves.”
The case has been subject to numerous delays. There have been more than three dozen court appearances. Further aggravating to the family members of the murder victims is that Freeman is out on bail, living in the community with his son in a townhouse near downtown Chilliwack.
The lengthy trial is scheduled to begin in early May. Jury selection is set for April 30.
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Paul J. Henderson
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