Vancouver festival attack suspect attends sentencing hearing for brother’s killer

By Canadian Press on January 16, 2026.

VANCOUVER — The suspect in last year’s Lapu Lapu festival attack is attending a sentencing hearing in Vancouver for the killer of his brother, who died in 2024.

A Crown lawyer says Adam Kai-Ji Lo is observing via a video link, with his microphone muted, as the B.C. Supreme Court hears a statement of facts about the killing of Alexander Lo at the hands of Dwight Kematch, who has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Alexander Lo was killed in January 2024, about 15 months before his brother was arrested at the scene of the festival attack and charged with 11 counts of murder.

Crown lawyer Mark Myhre read an agreed statement of facts at the sentencing hearing, describing how Kematch and Alexander Lo met on the gay dating app Grindr.

Myhre says the two began sexual activity at Kematch’s home, but at some point he began attacking Lo, punching him and hitting him with a hammer.

Lo fled the room, followed by Kematch who grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed him several times, before Kematch’s sister who also lived in the home called 911.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026.

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press