The coroner’s office will try to determine the official cause of death of a Vernon senior whose body was discovered in a creek not far from his home.
The body of Gerald Lefebvre, 80, was found in Vernon Creek near Marshall Field Tuesday night by members of Vernon Search and Rescue.
Lefebvre, who was known as an avid hiker, was reported missing earlier Tuesday from his Okanagan Landing residence by a concerned neighbour who hadn’t seen Lefebvre in a couple of days.
Foul play is not suspected in the death, though there are questions as to why Lefebvre was found wearing only a T-shirt, jeans and stockings on his feet.
“Police have been told that he was starting to show possible signs of dementia, but we can’t say with any certainty that that is a contributing factor in the death,” said Gord Molendyk, spokesperson for the Vernon RCMP detachment.
Some markings found at the scene where Lefebvre’s body was found, said Molendyk, are consistent with an individual falling down an embankment and entering the water.
