Pubdate: Thu, 28 Feb 2013
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Authors: Heather Colpitts and Matthew Claxton

MURDER IN GROW OP

An Unidentified Man Was Found Dead Inside a South Langley Marijuana Grow Op

A Tuesday night murder in Fernridge brought the Integrated Homicide 
Investigation Team (IHIT) out to Langley.

Langley RCMP were called out "to check on the well-being of a male" 
in a residence in the 2000 block of 200th Street on Tuesday, shortly 
after 10 p.m., said IHIT's Cpl. Adam MacIntosh.

Inside the split-level home on the east side of 200th Street, just 
north of 20th Avenue, police found a body and a marijuana grow operation.

"Officers on the scene were able to identify this death was as the 
result of foul play," McIntosh said.

He would not release the exact cause of death, and could not say how 
long the victim had been dead.

IHIT investigators are still working to confirm the man's identity. 
They haven't ruled out the possibility that he might not be the man 
who was living in the home. Once he has been identified, the victim's 
family can be notified.

"We are in the early stages of the investigation and processing the 
crime scene in an effort to determine what occurred inside the 
residence including the motive," MacIntosh said.

Police have a lot of questions still to answer, MacIntosh said.

"Was the grow op a part of what happened here, or was it something 
different?" MacIntosh said.

A neighbour, who asked that her full name not be used, said the 
resident had lived there for at least a year and a half.

"They keep things quiet, it's clean," she said.

The man living there was in his late 40s or possibly early 50s, was 
friendly and talked to his neighbours over the back fence, or called 
them when their dogs got loose.

Other than that, they saw little of him, said the neighbour. She last 
saw him a few days ago.

The man at the residence didn't seem to go to work, and his front 
gate was always padlocked, the resident said. The man was believed to 
live there alone, with a medium-sized dog.

The neighbour said her husband thought he heard a gunshot a few 
nights ago, but they didn't know where it came from.

IHIT and Langley RCMP investigators are at the scene and will likely 
be there for the next couple of days.

"If anyone has information regarding this investigation we ask they 
contact the IHIT tip line," he said.

People with information can call the tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT 
(4448) or by email at To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or 
leave a tip on the website at Solvecrime.ca.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom