Six found slain in Surrey apartment

[дядя Вова]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/ ... 58&k=55155" target="_blank
Six found slain in Surrey apartment
Suite may be linked to drug scene 'big-box retailer' on the lam since 2006

Glenda Luymes and Lena Sin
The Province


Saturday, October 20, 2007



CREDIT: Arlen Redekop - The Province
Surrey RCMP remained on the scene Saturday after six men were found dead in a highrise on East Whalley Ring Road Friday evening.

Investigators continued to comb the grisly murder scene Saturday where six men were found dead in a small Surrey apartment Friday, but had few answers on who was involved or why it happened.

Cpl. Dale Carr with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said the Surrey fire department was called to the apartment at 4:30 p.m. Friday after someone found the six men sprawled across the small 15th-floor apartment.

"They initially thought that the people lying there were hurt by gas, or were overwhelmed by gas," he said.

Police have not released the identity of that person, who left the room and immediatly called the fire department.

When they arrived at the condo tower in the 9800-block of East Whalley Ring Road, firefighters realized they were dealing with a crime scene and alerted police.

Carr said there was blood at the scene, but it was still unclear how the men died.

"It's a bit of grisly scene," he said.

Police were still combing the crime scene Saturday afternoon. The bodies of the six men won't be removed until the coroner has finished a similar investigation at the scene. Until then, the entire 15th floor will remain off-limits, with residents forced to stay with family and friends.

While Carr said the public should not be unduly alarmed by the slaying, police are still trying to establish the cause of the killing.

"We haven't determined whether this is a home invasion-style robbery, a targeted hit, or a murder-suicide. All those things are on the table," he said.

"Homicide investigation is a very slow, methodical procedure. We only have one chance at a crime scene and therefore this is going to take some time to get through.


"At first glance, this does not look like it's just some random act."

Police say there was no evidence of a grow-op or meth lab in the apartment.

Carr could not comment on the ages and ethnicity of the men. Police are interviewing apartment residents to determine when they were last seen alive.

When pressed about how long the bodies might have been in the apartment before their discovery, Carr responded by saying: "There were no odors present in the hallways and in the apartment to suggest anything untoward."

The Balmoral Court and Tower condo complex encompasses a 15-storey, 120-unit tower and an 87-unit low-rise building.

It appears that it was home to Surrey's most wanted criminal as recently as last year.

Malakias Swales, 36, has been described by Surrey Mounties as a top-end drug trafficker -- the "big-box retailer" of the local drug trade.

Swales had listed his address as an apartment in the 9800-block of East Whalley Ring Road according to a three-year lease he signed in Februray 2006 for a Chevrolet Corvette.

Yesterday, Carr said he is aware of Swales, but has no idea whether he has any connection to the mass homicide.

"We don't know who's connected at this time. We don't even know who those victims are," said Carr.

Swales has been on the lam since July 2006 after being charged with more than two dozen counts including trafficking, firearms possession, possession of property obtained through crime and evading police.

Residents gave conflicting accounts of the area, with some calling it a quiet residential complex popular with retirees and others saying there have been grow-ops in the building in the past, and homeless people have been known to live in the forested area outside.

Two years ago, police found the body of a suspected drug user in a bushy area near the complex and in 2003, a woman living in the complex was sexually assaulted in her apartment.

Resident Tashia Sutherland said the apartment complex was "a bit of a party place," with people going in and out at all hours.

Royce Walker, another resident, was surprised to hear about the murder.

"Nothing has ever happened like this," he said. "In this building, it's surprising. Everyone you see is quite old. They seem retired . . . I don't mind Whalley, but now you hear about this, and it's like, oh man!"

Walker said he might be unable to sleep after this.

"I'll be sleeping with a baseball bat under my bed," he said.

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[amigo]

Жуть.
Прямо Россия середины 90-х.
А полицейские - лапочки.

[oblom]

+1, умиляет, что еще трупиков не вынесли, а полиция заявила что типа шутинг -тагетед......ага.....особенно того чувака, который камин им чинил. Так и спешат жопы свои прикрыть.

[(Alex)]

нам когда нибудь правду скажут?

[oblom]

а смысл? главное не будоражить общественность

[amigo]

"I'll be sleeping with a baseball bat under my bed," he said.