THE Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) announced on Friday that they could now confirm that the human remains found near Ucluelet earlier this month, are those of Ryan Daley and Daniel Archbald, who were reported missing to the Ucluelet RCMP in mid May. (Link to original release here)
VIIMCU said the investigators are treating this as a homicide and not a random incident.
Inspector Dave Hall, Officer in Charge of VIIMCU, said: “Identifying Mr. Daley and Mr. Archbald is a significant step in this investigation. We can now focus our attention on answering the who, what, when, where and why, in an effort to determine who is responsible for their deaths.”
The RCMP said while they recognize the significant public interest in several missing persons cases on Vancouver Island, in particular the Archbald / Daley homicide investigation and the Ben Kilmer missing person investigation, there is no evidence at this time that establishes these investigations are connected.
Hall cautioned that the widespread use of social media and the internet as sources of information risks drawing linkages that do not exist, or spreading false information that becomes increasingly difficult for police to untangle in their investigation. He said the police investigations in both of these cases are active and ongoing. Investigators are in contact with the families of all three men and working to determine what has happened to them. In order to be successful, the police rely on the co-operation of family, friends and associates who may have information about the circumstances leading to the disappearances.
Hall aded that the very nature of criminal investigations, and any resulting prosecutions, requires that the investigation not be conducted in the public arena. Dedicated investigators are actively following up on both investigations and will share details when they are able. This is always a difficult time for the loved ones of those who are missing or who have been the victims of foul play. The impact of intense public and media scrutiny on the families of these men can not be understated and it is requested that their privacy be respected.
