The investigation into the two West Kelowna deaths discovered earlier this month indicates one was a murder, while the other was a suicide.
“It’s still not final until the coroner’s report is completed,” said Barb McLintock, from the BC coroner’s office. “But the working assumption is that it was a murder-suicide.”
Who did what to whom in the case of Kimberly Ansell, 31, and Marcello Verna, 20, is not being released at the moment, said McLintock, adding that it’s the type of thing the authorities want to be sure of before saying anything.
Police aren’t casting any light on what may have prompted the violence, , but Const. Jesse O’Donaghey said they “knew each other and were believed to be involved in a relationship.”
“The autopsy findings have confirmed this tragic event as an isolated incident. Our investigation has revealed no indication of any third party person involved,” said Const.. Jesse O’Donaghey.
“The RCMP is also confirming that the weapon recovered from the scene was in fact a firearm.”
On March 2, at 7:02 a.m., the West Kelowna RCMP responded to a report of two sudden deaths after the discovery of two bodies, which were found in close proximity to one another, in a forested area near Shannon Way and Westville Way.
It later became clear through social media they were Verna and Ansell, although police have never released their identities.
Both have been remembered on these sites by their friends as kind people, and their deaths have seemingly come as a surprise.
The West Kelowna RCMP General Investigation Section will continue to support the BC Coroner’s Service their investigation.
