UPDATE: Brother says Chris Ausman of Kelowna was murdered

KELOWNA — There’s no doubt in Kelly Ausman’s mind that his brother was murdered.

The body of Christopher Michael Ausman, 32, was found on sprawled on a blood stained sidewalk along Highway 33 in Rutland very early Saturday morning.

Police are treating the death as suspicious but aren’t calling it a homicide until an autopsy confirms that.

Ausman’s younger brother, Kelly, says he and his brother were playing poker in a tournament at a friend’s place the night of the incident.

Kelly Ausman left early because he had to work the next day.

He says Chris decided to stay and had texted his brother that he had made it to the final table — meaning he was winning.

The poker tournament was being held only two blocks from where Ausman’s body was found.

Kelly Ausman has a theory as to what might have happened to his brother.

He says Chris likely went to the nearby 7-11 at Highway 33 and Rutland Road North to get a hot dog and to call a cab because his cell phone was dead.

Ausman believes his brother, who wasn’t the type to back down, was confronted by a stranger or perhaps attacked from behind.

He doesn’t believe robbery was the motive.

Ausman says he’s in disbelief there were no witnesses to the attack because it’s a high traffic area.

Chris Ausman worked at Ace Plumbing and Heating. His boss says Ausman was a great guy and awesome employee.

“You couldn’t say anything bad about the guy,” says Brian Walters.