The father of Scott Owen Smith, the 26-year-old man found dead in the Inner Harbour, is desperate for answers about how his son died.
John Macdonald said his son struggled with drug addiction and was involved in the street community. He’s worried there are people who know how Smith died but aren’t co-operating with police.
“The story becomes these street kids not telling the police what they know,” said Macdonald, who lives in Ontario and has been in touch with some of Smith’s friends.
“Then it’s up to the police trying to glean the information from this group of street people who aren’t co-operating with what they know because it’s ingrained in them [not to talk].”
Smith’s body was found in the water just south of the Johnson Street Bridge on March 5. Victoria police have called the death suspicious.
A forensic autopsy is being conducted and the B.C. Coroners Service has not released the cause of death.
“There are people out there who think they know what happened to him — they’re saying that it was a criminal act that ended his life,” Macdonald said. Police have not confirmed whether the death was a homicide.
Smith grew up in southwestern Ontario and moved west a few years ago, his father said.
“The last time I saw him was a few years ago when I put him on a bus to Jasper,” Macdonald said. Smith was looking for work and ended up moving to Victoria.
His father said Smith was in rehab until February, trying to beat his addiction.
“I worried about him on a daily basis,” he said.
Investigators are looking to speak with anyone who was with Smith on the night of March 4 or the morning of March 5.
Macdonald said he’s confident that Victoria police investigators are working hard to piece together the details of Smith’s death.
“If there was foul play involved, whether or not they’re going to be able to determine that … I think that they’re on top of the situation as best they can.”
Victoria police are also investigating the killing of 49-year-old Peter Hunter Thompson, who was found dead in his James Bay apartment on Feb. 18.
Investigators initially said the death was suspicious and two weeks later, they confirmed it was a homicide. The cause of death has not been released.
There were no signs of forced entry or struggle in Thompson’s apartment. Police said he had been dead for quite some time before he was found.
Victoria police ask anyone with information on either investigation to call them at 250-995-7654. Anonymous reports can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
