A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a body found in an alley late last year outside a North Kamloops apartment building, but police have ruled out murder in the death.
The body of David Boltwood, 66, was found outside the building at 170 Carson Cres. on Nov. 29, rolled up in carpet and left near a pair of dumpsters.
On Friday, Kamloops RCMP arrested 51-year-old Shane Troy Brownlee. He is facing one count of interference with a dead body.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay said investigators do not believe Boltwood was murdered.
“I understand that a case like this is difficult for the public to understand,” he said. “As investigators we, of course, presume a body found in this circumstance was the victim of foul play until proven otherwise. This matter was very carefully investigated and we are satisfied that the death itself was not criminal in nature.”
Boltwood did not have a fixed address, but spent most of his time on the North Shore, often in a wheelchair. His last interaction with police was more than three weeks before his body was found. Boltwood’s body was discovered by a passerby at about 10 a.m. on Nov. 29.
"This was another investigation that was greatly assisted by the public's input," Pillay said. "Extensive neighbourhood canvassing took place during the early stages of this investigation. The surrounding residents of this neighbourhood were very engaged, helpful and supportive of this case and that is what helps police resolve these matters."
A date for Brownlee’s first appearance in Kamloops provincial court has not yet been set.
KTW spoke with Benjamim Boltwood, brother of the deceased, four days after David’s body was found.
Benjamin said David did a lot for him when they were growing up, describing him as a loving brother.
“He’s the only person on this planet that’s ever loved me,” Benjamin told KTW.
Benjamin said David came Kamloops in the summer of 2019 to visit him and, despite attempts to find him lodging, David ended up homeless, bouncing between Royal Inland Hospital, the RCMP detachment and homeless shelters in the city.
Benjamin said he felt horrible about not being able to support his older brother with housing, but noted he was under the assumption he couldn’t have David stay with him due to conditions he has with his accommodations.
“He had been looking after me my whole life, but I felt trapped because of my situation,” Benjamin said.
When he heard how his brother had died, Benjamin’s first thought was that he had frozen to death while sleeping outside.
