A Victoria man has been charged in connection with a cold case murder, say local police.
Richard “Blair” Young, age 72, was found dead on the Malahat in 2017. Now, a Victoria Police Department news release says Joseph “Bob” Gelineau was arrested by officers with the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU).
Gelineau has been charged with first-degree murder and indignity to human remains, said the release, and he remains in custody.
On Feb. 15, 2017, VicPD notified the public that Young was missing and that his family had not heard from him for over a week. The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) took over the investigation and worked with VicPD investigators.
The investigation into his disappearance continued until March 2, 2017, when Young’s body was located on the Malahat.
After Young’s disappearance, police told media in 2019 that his banking and credit card information was used fraudulently across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, with spending totalling more than $30,000.
“Joseph ‘Bob’ Gelineau’s arrest and appearance before the court brings to a close many of VIIMCU and VicPD’s investigative efforts,” said the release. “Further details about this investigation cannot be shared at this time as the matter is now before the courts.”
RELATED: 2017 death deemed a murder; suspicious $30,000 spent after Victoria man disappeared
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