Image: M. Vanden Bosch / PML / Homicide investigators and other police personnel continued processing the crime scene of Thursday's double homicide in the 9700 block of McNaught Road. The road was blocked earlier today (Jul. 23).

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack shooting

Chilliwack resident says neighbourhood near double homicide has good families in an otherwise great community

Jul 23, 2022 | 4:54 PM

CHILLIWACK — As investigators continue processing the scene of Thursday’s double homicide on McNaught Road, a resident of the area says the neighbourhood has a silver lining.

While investigators from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) have located the Jeep YJ associated with suspected gunman Eric Shestalo, Jennifer Samuell has a different take on the overall area located about a kilometre east of downtown Chilliwack.

Samuell, who lives off nearby Menzies Street, was actually delivering an order for Door Dash near McNaught Road and Yale Road when she was caught in the middle of the police response to reports of shots fired Thursday morning.

“I was coming down the road at 11 o’clock,” said Samuell, who was driving a four-door sedan. “Police were rushing. A police car came right behind me. I was thinking, ‘what the heck is going on?'” A police officer told me, ‘Turn around and go!'”

She described the overall area, located near Little Mountain Elementary, as a generally good neighbourhood.

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“It’s a great community,” said Samuell, who tried to drive through McNaught today but had to turn around due to police tape across the road. “There are wonderful families here. There’s some riff-raff in the area, though. There was a shooting in some apartments [near me]. I do feel safe, but there’s stuff like this.”

Multiple police vehicles were on still at the scene of the shooting Saturday (July 23). Police personnel could be seen with blue latex gloves on, and one was observed photographing what might have been evidence.

Image: M. Vanden Bosch / PML / Homicide investigators were still on scene Saturday processing the site of Thursday’s double murder in the 9700 block of McNaught Road.

On Friday (Jul. 22) morning, Shestalo’s red and yellow 1990 Jeep YJ was located in the area of Bridal Falls. Members of IHIT, the Upper Fraser Valley Chilliwack detachment, and other Lower Mainland agencies conducted intensive searches for Shestalo in the area. However Shestalo still has not been located.

On Thursday (Jul. 21), at 11 a.m., RCMP officers from the Upper Fraser Valley regional detachment responded to a report of two women and a man suffering from gunshot wounds at a residence in the 9700 block of McNaught Drive. The two women died from their injuries, while the man was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Friday (Jul. 22) morning, Shestalo’s red and yellow 1990 Jeep YJ was located in the area of Bridal Falls. Members of IHIT, the Upper Fraser Valley Chilliwack detachment, and other Lower Mainland agencies conducted intensive searches for Shestalo in the area. However Shestalo still has not been located.

“Investigators are in the process of determining why Mr. Shestalo travelled to Bridal Falls. We’re working to determine if he remains in the area or if he left,” said Sergeant Timothy Pierotti of IHIT. “So far we’ve had many people come forward to provide information. We need that to continue as we work to track down Mr. Shestalo.”

IHIT is asking that any witnesses or anyone who attended Bridal Falls between 11:00 a.m. on July 21, and 10:00 a.m. on July 22, with dash cameras or who have any information regarding the homicide, to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448), or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.