Man charged in 2024 death of homeless Port Hardy senior | CBC News
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Police say a man has been arrested in Prince Rupert, B.C., and charged with second-degree murder for the 2024 death of a homeless senior in Port Hardy, on northern Vancouver Island.
RCMP say officers were called to a path near Rupert Street in Port Hardy on Oct. 6, 2024, following a report of an injured man.
That man, later identified as 84-year-old Real Menard, was transported to hospital but later died of his injuries.
Menard regularly used services offered by the local Salvation Army, according to staff there, who told CBC News he was homeless at the time of his death.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) was deployed to Port Hardy at the time.
Last Friday, investigators with the unit, alongside local RCMP, arrested John Jensen, 54, in Prince Rupert, about 450 kilometres north of Port Hardy as the crow flies.
Police say the B.C. Prosecution Service has approved one count of second-degree murder against Jensen, who remains in custody.
His next court appearance is scheduled for March 16.