A Kelowna woman is looking for answers and fearing the worst in the unexplained deaths of her daughter and her daughter’s fiance in Crofton more than a month ago.
“I need answers,” said Tushia Levesque. “I can’t let it rest till I do find out. The truth has to come out.”
Levesque said Rachel Gardner, 23, and Paul Jenkins, 46 were found dead in their Crofton trailer park home in early May. Their deaths are determined to have occurred late on May 1 or into the early morning hours of May 2, but not reported until the afternoon of May 3. The cause remains undetermined.
“There is nothing at this time for us to believe it is a homicide,” noted North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP Insp. Chris Bear.
“I can confirm that the BC Coroners Service is investigating two deaths that occurred in Crofton on May 1, 2021,” noted Ryan Panton, manager of strategic communications and media relations. “As the investigations remain open we cannot speculate on cause of death or provide any additional information at this time. In accordance with the Coroners Act and due to privacy considerations we do not release or confirm details related to identity.”
“I can confirm that this file is an active investigation in collaboration with the Coroners Office,” added Bear. “We do not feel there is any risk to the community.”
Bear noted anyone with information should contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP or Crime Stoppers. Other residents of the trailer park on Cecil Street who might have tips and have not been interviewed by police are encouraged to come forward.
“My daughter called me on the day she died and told me she was going to get married on the 14th of May,” Levesque indicated.
The couple had an 18-month-old daughter who is under Levesque’s care.
She remains perplexed about what happened to the pair. Levesque came to Crofton less than a week after the deaths to see what she could find out, but there remains far more questions for her than answers at this point.
“I’ve been getting information since this happened,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me at all.”
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Investigations are ongoing into the deaths of two people in their trailer park home on Cecil Street in Crofton. (Photo by Don Bodger)
