Public may never know name of murder victim

UPDATE: RCMP have identified the man murdered as Dean Jefferey Gillette.

RCMP say an Okanagan murder victim may never be publicly identified.

On January 17th, the body of a 27-year-old Kelowna area man was found beside Willowbrook Road near White Lake west of Okanagan Falls.

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On Friday, police said they couldn’t comment on the man’s identity or cause of death until the completion of an autopsy Monday.

Now an RCMP media spokesperson says the victim’s name will only be released if it will further the investigation.

“We work with investigators to determine when and if it is appropriate, based on the progression of the investigation, to release the name of victim in every investigation. In some cases there may never be a need,” said Cpl. Janelle Shoihet in an email response to Global Okanagan News inquiries.

Shoihet has not replied when asked if she could point to any murder investigations in BC where the victim’s name has never been made public.