Virgin River actor Stewart McLean may have been victim of homicide after disappearing from home

Detectives searching for missing TV actor Stewart McLean marked a week since he was last seen on Friday, and have now released a major development: the Royal Canadian Mountain Police are treating his disappearance as a homicide investigation. McLean was reportedly last seen safe at his home in British Columbia on May 15. A missing persons report was then filed three days later, on May 18, with the Squamish RCMP after he appeared to vanish without explanation. At first, the case was handled as a standard missing person investigation. However, authorities said in an update on Thursday that the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has now assumed control, after police say they uncovered evidence supporting the belief that McLean was killed. “On May 20, IHIT deployed and assumed conduct of the investigation,” a press release on Thursday said. “Squamish RCMP continues to work closely with IHIT and the Integrated Forensic Identification Service (IFIS) to advance the investigation. Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was victim of homicide. “Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp–grc.gc.ca.” Although McLean’s name may not be widely recognized, viewers may know his face. He began working professionally in 2015 and most recently appeared as a barfly in Netflix’s Virgin River. Investigators described McLean as 5ft 10 in and 150 lbs, with gray hair and blue eyes. He was also a familiar presence in Canadian television, appearing in multiple productions filmed in the region, including Murder in a Small Town, Happy Face, the DC series Arrow, Travelers, The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story and the Freeform show Beyond. Police have not released additional information about his last known movements, nor have they detailed what specific evidence led them to reclassify the investigation. No suspect has been named publicly, and investigators say their work is ongoing as they continue to pursue leads in the case. After the announcement that the inquiry had shifted to a homicide investigation, McLean’s agency, Lucas Talent Inc., posted a tribute in his memory. “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved client, Stew McLean,” Jodi Caplan from his agency wrote on Facebook May 22. “I was fortunate to have worked with Stew for more than 10 years.” “He was always such a pleasure to deal with,” she added, “dedicated, professional, eager, and endlessly funny!” “Many casting directors have reached out to share their condolences with Stew’s family and with our agency, and every message says the same thing: what a truly great guy he was, and how deeply he will be missed. Rest in peace, Stew. xo” The post Virgin River actor Stewart McLean may have been victim of homicide after disappearing from home appeared first on Pulptastic.