After a multi-year investigation, a suspect has now been arrested and charged in connection to the 2017 homicide of Chelsey Gauthier of Abbotsford, B.C.
Homicide investigators announced Saturday afternoon that 67-year-old Gary Losch was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and indignity to human remains.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team made the announcement in a press conference, Saturday afternoon.
Police said Losch was arrested on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.
Sgt. Timothy Pierotti, of IHIT, said Losch had hired Chelsey to work for him at a cannabis grow-op in the area her body was found. Otherwise, they were not known to each other.
Gauthier, 22, was reported missing to the Abbotsford Police Department on July 30, 2017.
Her body was found around three weeks later in Mission, B.C., on Aug. 16. She was a mother to two young girls.
Police said at the time the cause of death was “consistent with homicide.”
Ray Gauthier, Chelsey’s father, told Global News in 2017 that he believed his daughter’s death was drug-related.
Ray spoke with Global News on Saturday regarding the development in Chelsey’s case.
“I was dreading this day in a sense because a lot of the stuff will be resurfacing, but it is still a good day because an arrest has been made,” Ray said.
“Our whole family has been waiting for this for five years.”
Editors note: Global BC previously reported the suspect’s age as 62-years-old, 67-years-old is the correct age.
With files from Jesse Ferreras.