Police are now calling the death of a Saanich man near Sayward a homicide.
John Dillon Brown, 30, was found deceased inside his car near the west side of the one-way bridge to Sayward, about 75 kilometres from Campbell River, just before 8 p.m. March 12.
“It has been deemed a homicide,” said RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Janelle Shoihet. “It appears to be a targeted homicide, so the public are not at risk.”
Brown was last seen about 1 p.m. March 11 leaving a Campbell River residence in his car, a grey 2009 Honda Accord with B.C. licence plate BR126G.
He was reported missing to Campbell River RCMP the next evening.
Beau Beveridge of Victoria said he trained with Brown, a mixed martial arts fighter, for the past five or six years and was shocked by the news of his death.
He said Brown was down-to-earth and humble, and went by the name Tomahawk when he fought.
“I think the biggest thing with him is I never saw him inside the gym without a smile on his face,” he said. “If we had someone brand-new come to our gym, he was the first one there with him.”
When Brown wasn’t working out, he always had a child on his shoulders, Beveridge said. “Everything kind of revolved around his kids.”
An online fundraising page, at gofundme.com/ppua7dt7, has been started to help Brown’s partner, Nicole Herman-Brown, who is pregnant with their third child. A message on the page says Brown did not have life insurance.
Campbell River RCMP, Sayward RCMP and the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit are working on the case with the B.C. Coroners Service.
Investigators would like to hear from anyone who may have seen Brown or his car between 1 p.m. March 11 and 7:45 p.m. March 12. They would especially like to see any photographs or videos.
Anyone with information is asked to call Sayward RCMP at 250-282-5522, Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
