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Saanich woman shot dead, man arrested

A 71-year-old man was arrested in connection with a fatal shooting on a quiet Saanich street Tuesday morning after he called 911. Officers arrived at the two-storey home at 751 Cameo St. at 7:16 a.m. to find a woman dead in her bedroom.
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Saanich police investigate a possible shooting on Cameo Street.

A 71-year-old man was arrested in connection with a fatal shooting on a quiet Saanich street Tuesday morning after he called 911.
 
Officers arrived at the two-storey home at 751 Cameo St. at 7:16 a.m. to find a woman dead in her bedroom. The man, who told a police dispatcher he had struggled with mental illness, was taken away in a police car and a gun was seized.

Saanich police and the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit are investigating what led to the shooting.

According to property records, the home is owned by Joseph Melvin Desroches, a former armed services member, and his wife Rosa Maria Desroches, whose profession is listed as homemaker. The two-storey, single-family home is a block east of the Patricia Bay Highway, in the high Quadra area.

Saanich police spokesman Sgt. John Price confirmed one person is in custody and said the public is not at risk. Price would not confirm the age or sex of the victim or accused or speak to a possible motive.

He confirmed there were reports of shots fired Tuesday morning. One neighbour who has lived across the street from the couple for 16 years, said he didn’t hear any disturbance Tuesday morning and noticed something was wrong only when he saw a throng of police officers. The neighbour said the couple living at the house, in their early 70s, were very friendly.

He said he would regularly chat with the husband, known as Mel, when he walked his dog along the street. He said Rosa, a petite woman, often stayed in the house and had health troubles.

“It's pretty shattering. I just didn’t see this coming,” the neighbour said. “They'd get in the car to go somewhere and they’d wave and grin. Typical friendly neighbours.”

He said Mel worked as a commissionaire and enjoyed his job, but Mel didn’t talk much about his time in the military.   

The neighbour said he has never heard any disturbances at the home.   

Police tape surrounded the house and the street was blocked off to traffic all day.

Price said Tuesday afternoon investigators were waiting to obtain a search warrant to gather more evidence from the home.

The B.C. Coroners Service said it will assist in the investigation. Price said a forensic autopsy will be conducted in the coming days.

The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit is a specialized unit that investigates Island homicides. The Saanich police general investigation section, forensic identification unit and street crime unit are assisting.

Price said he wasn’t aware of any prior police involvement with the home or indication of mental illness on the part of either of the residents.

Police have 24 hours from the time of an arrest to lay a charge; otherwise they have to release the individual from custody.

kderosa@timescolonist.com

This is an edited version of an earlier story

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