Missing Persons Case Escalates to Homicide Team
IHIT has taken over the investigation into a Lions Bay man missing since May 15 after evidence suggested he was a homicide victim.
The search for Stewart McLean, a Lions Bay resident missing since May 15, has shifted from a missing-persons investigation to a homicide case. Squamish RCMP initiated the search after McLean hadn't been seen for four days, but investigative work quickly uncovered evidence suggesting something far more sinister.
"Through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide," Mounties said in a statement. On May 20, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team deployed to take over the case. No further details have been released, but the handoff to IHIT signals investigators believe they're dealing with a death, not a disappearance. The case remains active and ongoing.