Friends of a Vulcan senior found murdered on Saturday are still trying to comprehend what happened.
RCMP believe Otto ‘Bunty’ Loose had been abducted from his home near Vulcan and forced to withdraw money from his bank accounts before being killed.
His friend Don says the 77-year-old was a kind and trusting man.
“We’ll miss him, and it’s going to take a long time for this to heal,” says Don.
Don lived on Loose’s property near Vulcan and says the two became good friends.
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“We want to offer our condolences to the family. We will rally with them until this is solved.”
He says Loose often took people who needed help into his home, but noticed a strange couple recently, who left him with an uneasy feeling.
It’s not the first time criminals have targeted seniors in Alberta.
Just three years ago, Ray Johnson was killed in similar fashion. The senior was killed for his money and his truck.
Ray’s daughter Bonnie Gillard describes her father’s death as a “total nightmare”.
“You’re at a loss, you don’t know what to do and your life is flipped upside down,” says Gillard.
Seniors advocates say abuse is on the rise.
“You don’t know who’s around the corner, who is lurking, who is looking for easy prey,” says Deanne Scott.
However, there are steps you can take to protect your loved ones.
Scott says families should always know who their elders are spending time with, and should ask plenty of questions.
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