Police seek help in solving targeted murder in Burnaby
Police seek help in solving targeted murder in Burnaby
BY KIM BOLAN, VANCOUVER SUNJULY 20, 2009
METRO VANCOUVER — Police want the public’s help in solving the targeted murder of a Lower Mainland man found in a burned-out car in Burnaby last week.
But the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is not planning on telling the public who the victim is — at the request of the 25-year-old’s family.
Sgt. Peter Thiessen said the victim, who he identified as Caucasian, was known to police, but he would not say how.
“To some degree he is known to police at some level. That’s pretty vague, I know. But that’s as far as I can go,” he said Monday.
Asked how the public can help without the victim’s name being released, Thiessen said: “I guess they could call us if they feel they know who the victim is and through some discussions with us, we would know whether they were talking about the same person or not.”
He said the issue of withholding the name was left to the family.
“We are respecting their wishes. This is not our choice,” Thiessen said. “At this point, we are supporting them as best we can.”
The mystery victim was found in a charred vehicle outside an elementary school in the 5600 block of Clinton Avenue about 4 a.m. last Thursday.
The dead man was wearing a thin gold chain around his neck.
Thiessen said public assistance and dental records led to the man being identified by investigators.
Neighbours told reporters last week that they were awakened by an explosion just before 4 a.m. Some claimed to have heard gunshots.
The Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Police+seek+help+solving+targeted+murder+Burnaby/1809634/story.html
