Saanich Police are hoping to bring a close to a case that has baffled investigators for nearly 45 years.
In the early morning hours of June 9, 1973, Scott Emanuel Cooper was found unconscious at the intersection of West Saanich Road and Wilkinson Road.
A passing motorist discovered the 20-year-old at 3:25 a.m. unconscious in the intersection, and he was taken to Victoria General Hospital (St. Joseph’s Hospital), where he remained in a coma until his death on July 19, 1973.
“One theory at the time was that Scott may have been the victim of a hit and run, however, that was never proven,” said Sgt. Jereme Leslie, adding the cause of death was never determined.
He said Cooper had sustained head injuries, but a coroner’s inquest was inconclusive on the cause of death.
“I’m guessing because the 1973 reporting standards and documentation standards were significantly less than what they are 45 years later, both from the policing standpoint and a coroners standpoint,” said Leslie.
Investigators at the time were able to establish that Scott had caught a taxi at 1:30 a.m. from Douglas Street and Hillside Avenue which took him to the old Town and Country Mall (now Uptown). He hitchhiked from there and was dropped off at West Saanich Road and Elk Lake Road around 3:10 a.m.
Police are hoping someone might come forward with information about the case.
“You never know. Sometimes people’s life circumstances change. They’ve been holding onto that information for some reason,” said Leslie, adding police do not have a photograph or Cooper.
Saanich Police are asking for anyone with information on Cooper’s death to contact them on their information line at 1-888-980-1919 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
