Investigators have determined that a body found at the scene of an explosion in Langley on Sunday, Oct. 22, was not murder.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement that police came to the conclusion along with the BC Coroners Service. The body is a 54-year-old man from Langley but not from the property where the explosion took place (24300 block of 8th Avenue).
Mounties and firefighters responded to the explosion in an outbuilding on a property in rural Langley on Sunday.
The homicide team was called to the scene after the human remains were found by firefighters.
“The file came in initially as an explosion; this in and of itself is suspicious,” explained Langley RCMP Cpl. Craig van Herk. “Then, human remains were located at the site of the explosion. The combination of the two deemed it initially as suspicious in nature. BC Coroner Service was consulted and IHIT was contacted.”
IHIT took over the investigation and additional specialized units were called in to assist with the processing of the explosion site.
“The Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS), the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU), the RCMP Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response team (CLEAR) were the specialized units that responded – each bringing different specialized equipment, knowledge and experience,” van Herk said.
But as the investigation progresses, evidence pointed to the fatality not being a homicide, and IHIT turned the investigation of the explosion back to Langley RCMP which is still investigating but not “holding the scene,” he said.
“IHIT would like to thank their partners at the Langley RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS), the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU), the RCMP Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response team (CLEAR) as well as the BC Coroners Service for their assistance with this investigation,” said Cpl. Esther Tupper, of IHIT.
– With files by Langley Advance Times reporter Heather Colpitts
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