The Murder of James Enright
This case is a little shorter, but I watched an episode of See No Evil on ID for this case. It is Season 5, Episode 16 titled ‘The Man in the Red Jacket.’ Unfortunately in this case, James was a victim who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
James Enright was a 27 year old who was from a town just outside of Vancouver, Canada. He had recently moved away from his family to Vancouver Island, so that he could fish and hunt more. His mother said in the episode that he loved being outdoors and loved to do adventurous things.
James
On Saturday, February 14th, 2005 James was going to hang out with his best friend Tori and their friend Brandon. They were having an “anti Valentine’s Day” get together. They had to take Brandon to and from the train station so they could all hang out.
The Murder
The train station where the murder took place.
James and Tori had to take Brandon back to the Edmonds SkyTrain Station located in Burnaby which is in British Columbia, Canada. They were there between the hours of 12:45 and 1am. Unfortunately for this group, so were a rowdy, aggressive group of men.
In the episode, while the police were looking at surveillance footage, they saw a group of about 4-5 men and another group of men who were trying to get away from one man in particular. This man was the most aggressive one, and was later seen on camera shouting and yelling racial slurs at them. The man was in a red jacket, which is why that’s the title of the episode.
Shortly after, Tori’s car pulls up. Tori and James are in the driver and passenger seats, and Brandon is in the back.
The camera then shows the man in the red jacket now shirtless, and his friend trying to calm him down, carrying his jacket. Tori told police she started to film these men, and that they saw her. The shirtless man walks up to the car and starts hitting Tori. The camera goes blank but you can hear Tori screaming “oh my god,” and a male voice yelling “go, go, go.” Tori also lets out a blood curdling scream.
The policer are able to find that exact seen on the surveillance camera. The shirtless man is seen walking up to Tori’s car and attacking the driver, which is Tori and then the passenger door flies open, and the male stars to run after them. The passenger is James, and off camera, he is attacked.
Investigation
The police didn't have to look hard for one of the suspects, because he comes into the police station with his father. The man’s name is Taitusi Vikilani, also known as the man in the red jacket. Taitusi is an 18 year old high school Rugby player. He tells the police that he went to a house party that night with some friends, and was very intoxicated by the time he got to the train station. He said he doesn’t remember what happened, but that he thinks he and a friend named John were in a fight.
Taitusi is shown the footage at the train station, and Taitusi says he’s the shirtless man, and John is wearing the white hooded sweatshirt. He also says John was completely sober. He said he attacked the car because they were filming them. He said he got into a fight but never hurt anyone. The police let him go because they don’t have any evidence, but he was under surveillance.
The police go back to look at the footage from the train station. They find some footage from inside the train at 12:34am, before Vikilani and his friends arrive. Vikilani is seen on camera, very intoxicated and not being able to even hold himself up.
Surveillance from inside the train. Vikilani is in the red and Sellam is in white.
They then get a tip that the other suspect’s name isn’t even John, his name is Jesse Sellam. The friend says Jesse told him he was the one that stabbed James.
Arrests
The police also get a tip that Vikilani was trying to leave the country, and think it’s because he’s a rugby player who travels. They go to his house and arrest him. He’s charged with manslaughter and assault causing bodily harm.
Jesse is harder to track down because he left to go stay with friends. He is surveilled when they find out he’s at a high rise apartment building, they later find him on the 20th floor and arrest him.
Jesse confessed to being the one who stabbed James, but said it was self defense. It’s later proven that Jesse was the aggressor and not James. Jesse is charged with 2nd degree murder.
Vikilani and Sellam
Sentencing
In November 2017, Tatitusi Vikilani was only sentenced to 6 months in prison for manslaughter, and 3 months for assault causing bodily harm for the assault on Victoria.
Jesse Sellam took a plea deal, and was only sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for 2nd degree murder.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
First of all, 4 1/2 years for murder??? People go to jail longer than that for drug charges. I don’t understand how these people got such short sentences for being aggressive assholes, and ASSAULTING AND MURDERING people.
I think these two were probably always aggressive, and looking to start fights. It’s pretty evident on the security footage. I think if it wasn’t James, somebody else would have been hurt that night because of these two, and they shouldn’t be put back on the streets to hurt anyone else.
I feel so sorry for James’ family, James was protecting his friend and was killed because of it. I also feel bad for Victoria because she probably feels guilt everyday. She also helped in this case, because of her video the police got to see that it was no one’s fault by Tatitusi and Jesse’s. They deserve to be in prison for the rest of their lives.
Sources
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/star-rugby-player-convicted-of-manslaughter-in-skytrain-killing-1.3523622
