The mother of a young woman murdered in Vancouver more than 20 years ago says she’s angry that her daughter’s killer is seeking refugee status in New Zealand. Yang Baoying says Ang Li is claiming to be a political target after serving time for the murder in China. Yang says the convicted killer gave an interview to a New Zealand newspaper claiming that her daughter — Amanda Zhao might not even be dead. Her body was found in a suitcase in Mission, BC, ten days after going missing in October 2002.
The chief of the Victoria Police Department says it would be a mistake to end a liaison program that places officers in city schools. Chief Constable Del Manak told school trustees that the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association got it wrong when it recommended ending the program. The association says the program causes harm to marginalized groups in schools. Manak says school liaison officers help keep youth out of trouble by building relationships with students.
The Skeetchestn Indian Band says it’s saddened that 17 wild horses were found shot to death last week west of Kamloops. The band’s chief and council say the community holds the animals in high regard and wants to find out what happened to the feral animals. The band says it is co-operating with RCMP to find those responsible for the crime. RCMP livestock investigator Cory Lepine says police believe the dead animals had been there for two weeks when they were discovered.
Police in Victoria say they’ve made an arrest in a homicide investigation from back in 2017. They say Joseph “Bob” Gelineau is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Richard “Blair” Young. The department says the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit arrested Gelineau, who is in custody, and also faces a charge of indignity to human remains. Police say Young went missing in February 2017 and his body was discovered near the Malahat Highway.
BC’s public safety minister says the province has no plans to require police across the province to wear body cameras. Mike Farnworth says the government is leaving that decision in local hands. BC rolled out provincewide standards for the police use of body worn cameras in 2019. Earlier this week, Alberta’s United Conservative Party government announced such a provincewide plan, saying the devices would protect officers and the public and help make police decisions more transparent.
Police in Abbotsford say they’re investigating the suspicious death of a 24-year old woman found Tuesday night at an apartment complex. The department says the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is handling the case.