A B.C. Supreme Court judge has dismissed a mother’s lawsuit claimed the RCMP failed to properly investigate the 2008 deaths of her daughter, Lisa Dudley, and her partner, Guthrie McKay.
The couple was shot in their Mission home in September 2008. McKay died at the scene, but Dudley stayed alive for four days before finally being discovered by a neighbour. She was airlifted to hospital, but died later that day.
Four men were eventually convicted in the pair’s death: Jack Woodruff, Justin MacKinnon, Bruce Main and Thomas Holden.
Dudley’s mother, Rosemarie Surakka, alleged that RCMP officers’ negligence delayed the finding of her daughter, which caused or contributed to her death, according to court documents.
During the investigation and the four separate trials, court heard that the officer investigating a shots fired call at the couple’s home left the scene after being there for approximately 10 minutes, without going inside, and did not follow up the next day.
Four years later, RCMP Cpl. Mike White was reprimanded and docked one day’s pay following a review by the adjudication board.
In a decision posted online Tuesday, Justice Nathan Smith dismissed Surakka’s claim for damages, saying she did not file her claim within the two-year mandatory time limit.
More to come.
