Vancouver Island’s Major Crime Unit is investigating a suspicious death in Tofino.
It happened at a waterfront property along Chesterman Beach sometime during the holiday season.
One neighbour says the first time he knew something was amiss, was when an investigator knocked on his door.
“Plainclothes obviously and just asked me a few questions. Whether I’ve seen anything suspicious and I just said no I’ve been woodworking around the house,” said Matt O’Brien, a neighbour.
Police say they were checking on a man’s welfare at a Chesterman Beach road property, near the south beach access, Wednesday, December 30th, when they found him dead.
Based on the scene, police deemed it suspicious and called in Vancouver Island’s Integrated Major Crime Unit, which has been investigating since.
“He said there was a homicide or something had gone down. They didn’t know the exact date. They said it was between Christmas day and whatever day he came which I guess was Thursday, New Year’s Eve and that was it. I just asked if everyone was safe and he said yeah nothing to worry about,” said O’Brien.
Police say they also took an individual into custody, in Nanaimo, who they have since released without a charge.
They’re asking for anyone who saw suspicious activity near the property between December 23rd and December 30th to call them.
An acquaintance who wants to remain unnamed says the victim, who is in his forties, had been renting a unit above the Spindrift vacation rental for four to five years.
The vacation rental had been empty soon after the ban on essential travel went into effect in November.
Police expect they will maintain control of the scene for a couple of days yet and they believe it to be an isolated incident with no risk for the public.
Kendall Hanson
