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By Curtis Galbraith
Court

Man charged with murder after woman’s death pleads guilty to reduced charge

Feb 12, 2024 | 6:00 AM

A man charged after the 2013 death of a woman has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Paul Tamasi pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter February 5 in Grande Prairie Court of King’s Bench.

He was charged after the disappearance and death of Karen Jordan in November of 2013.

An agreed statement of facts filed with the court says the two were married and living in a holiday trailer in Clairmont at the time.

There was financial strain because he was unemployed, and she was using drugs.

One morning, Tamasi put a hand around Jordan’s neck and choked her. The statement says the cause of her death could not be determined as the only remains recovered were two bones. Tamasi did acknowledge that the choking was an illegal assault and at least contributed to her death.

After Jordan died, Tamasi put her in the front seat of his vehicle and drove around, looking for a place to leave her body.

He eventually left her in a wooded area near the Lease Road and Range Road 80, near Pipestone Creek Park.

Jordan’s mother contacted police in February 2016 saying she had not heard from her daughter in five years.

A missing person investigation started during which Tamasi was interviewed three times and denied knowing where Jordan was.

An undercover operation then started during which Tamasi eventually admitted to undercover officers that he had choked Jordan and told them where he left her body.

The area was searched several times before the two bones were found on September 27, 2020.

Investigators concluded the bones were Jordan’s, based on comparing DNA from the bones to a sample taken from Jordan’s mother.

Tamasi was arrested and charged in March of 2021. He was living in Prince George at the time of his arrest.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 11 to 15.

by Curtis Galbraith