The RCMP undercover operation was code-named Project Kontingent. The goal was getting Jason Klaus to confess he murdered his mother, father and sister.
Mounties even enlisted the help of a civilian to introduce Klaus to Mr. Big.
Gordon, Sandra and Monica Klaus were murdered with gunshots to the head in Dec. 2013, then their Castor, Alta.-area farmhouse was burned to the ground.
Soon after their deaths, Jason Klaus contacted Brady Flett. The 55-year-old owner of a Stettler-based oilfield service company had been Monica’s employer.
Flett quickly became a source of money and a confidant to Jason Klaus.
Flett testified at the triple first-degree murder trial in Red Deer on Tuesday. He recalled getting a phone call from Klaus five days after the deaths of Klaus’s family members.
“Jason asked me if I could help him out financially. He told me that with what happened out at the farm, the farm was locked down,” Flett testified.
“He said he really didn’t draw an income from the farm — that everything was in the farm’s name.”
Klaus was 38-years-old at the time. He told Flett his mother bought all his groceries and did all his laundry. He revealed he had no independent source of income because his parents just gave him money when he needed it.
By the end of the day, Flett cut Klaus a cheque for $10,000.
Klaus claims visit from spirit of dead sister
Over the next few weeks, Klaus opened up to Flett. He revealed he had been visited by the spirit of his dead sister, Monica.
On the witness stand, Flett became emotional and fought back tears as he recounted what Klaus claimed his dead sister told him.
Monica Klaus with her beloved dog and constant companion, Patches. (Facebook )
“Monica told Jason she heard a noise in the middle of the night,” Flett testified.
“She got out of bed and thought it was the dog getting killed. Then all of a sudden the killer shot her in the head. Then Monica told Jason that the killer went in and shot Gordon. Then he went in and shot mom in the head,” he said.
“Monica told Jason that nine letters will tell you who did this and that you need to stay away from this guy. He’s bad.”
Flett tried to convince Klaus to share the information with police or at the very least to anonymously call in a tip. He said Klaus adamantly refused.
Then Klaus asked Flett for more money.
Flett said he told Klaus, “Geez Jason, I just gave you 10 grand two weeks ago.”
He said Klaus assured him it would only be a loan that would be repaid as soon as he got insurance money. Flett told him he’d have to check with his business partners.
Flett went to police
As soon as the two men parted ways, Flett said he went back to his office and wrote down everything he could remember from the conversation. Then he called the lead RCMP investigator on the case.
On Dec. 30, the RCMP asked Flett if he was willing to work with them and allow Mounties to record all his telephone conversations. Flett said he didn’t hesitate to agree.
“I was 100 per cent, I’ve got nothing to hide,” he said. “I was very willing to work with them in that manner.”
Jason Klaus was interviewed repeatedly by RCMP prior to his arrest in August 2014. (RCMP)
Crown prosecutor Douglas Taylor asked Flett why he agreed to become a police agent.
“For Monica,” he quietly responded. “I just felt it was my responsibility to work with the investigators to help them in whatever manner I can.”
Every phone call Flett made or received was intercepted by RCMP. During every meeting he had with Klaus, Flett wore a wire so the conversations could be recorded.
Project Kontingent
Flett’s original objective was to get Klaus to reveal the name of the man he believed was responsible for the murders. Court was told earlier that Klaus eventually wrote down the name of his co-accused, Joshua Frank, describing him to Flett as “a local low-life, drug dealer, badass.”
Flett tried again to convince Klaus to take the information to police. Klaus still refused.
RCMP began to set the stage for the Mr. Big sting, using Flett to get to Klaus.
Flett testified he drove Klaus to the Flying J truck stop in west Edmonton to introduce Klaus to the owner of a trucking company that hauled heavy equipment to Fort McMurray.
The scenario was fictional. The supposed owner was actually an RCMP staff sergeant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.
Flett said the owner told Klaus he wanted to use the family farm to store trailers and was willing to pay Klaus thousands of dollars for access to the property.
“I knew he was an investigator,” Flett testified. “An undercover cop.”
Flett successfully introduced Klaus to Mr. Big.
“Did Jason tell you at any time he thought he was a police officer?” the prosecutor asked.
“No,” Flett replied.
After Flett is cross-examined Wednesday, an undercover Mountie is expected to take the stand.