Jason Klaus testified that three separate confessions he made admitting to the first-degree murders of his family were false.

Klaus, who is charged with the 2013 triple murders of his parents and sister in Castor, testified in Red Deer court today that two separate confessions to undercover officers and a third to arresting officers were lies to impress the undercover officers and because of his own exhaustion during the arrest interviews.

Over the course of a Mr. Big sting operation Klaus twice confessed to undercover officers, confessions Klaus said in court yesterday were made to enhance his status in what he thought was a criminal organization.

Following Klaus’ arrest in August 2014, Klaus made a similar confession to officers after viewing recordings of his maternal grandparents and other family members urging him to do so.

Klaus earlier testified this confession was made because he was “tired,” was being “badgered” and that he wanted to tell the officers what they wanted to hear.

The prosecution suggested during cross-examination that no officer during the arrest ever told him to tell the officers what they wanted to hear and offered to play the recording of the arrest interview to Klaus.

Klaus turned down this offer from the prosecution and rephrased his testimony saying that his own exhaustion during the arrest interviews led him to think he needed to tell the officers what they wanted to hear so that the interviews would be over with.

Klaus is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson in relation to the deaths of his father Gordon Klaus, 61, his mother Sandra Klaus, 62 and his sister Monica Klaus, 40.

Co-accused Frank has also been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in relation to the deaths.

The remains of Gordon and Monica Klaus were found in what was left of a burnt-out house in Castor on Dec. 8th, 2013. The body of Sandra Klaus hasn’t been found because police believe her remains were consumed by the fire.

The trial continues in Red Deer tomorrow.

todd.vaughan@reddeerexpress.com

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