Police release video, appeal for information related to murder of Victoria man 2 years ago

Police are asking for the public's help to find the killer of a Victoria man who went missing two years ago and was found dead near Highway 1 on Vancouver Island.

Richard (Blair) Young went missing in February 2017 and was later found dead near a rest stop at the Malahat Highway summit in an apparent homicide.

Investigators released surveillance video on Wednesday showing Young leaving his apartment on the evening of Feb. 8, 2017 in the hope that someone can provide information on his disappearance and murder.

"We're releasing the video because it's a good image of what he looked like when he last left his residence," said Insp. David Hall of the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit.

The video shows Young in a beige jacket and dark pants walking through the vestibule towards the outside of his apartment building.

Hall said investigators believe Young was not planning to be outside for long because he was wearing a light jacket despite below-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall.

Watch the video here:

Father and grandfather

Young, a 72-year-old father and grandfather at the time, was reported missing on Feb. 14.

Police said he maintained daily telephone contact with his family members who became worried when they did not hear from him.

A missing person's investigation began and the integrated major crime unit was called in to assist with the investigation.

Young's remains were found on March 2, 2017, near a rest stop along the Malahat Highway and police ruled the case a homicide.

Hall said Young did not appear to have any connection to criminal activity and was not known to police, although investigators do not believe this was "a purely random act."

Fraudulent transactions

Hall said police found more than $30,000 in fraudulent transactions on Young's banking and credit cards following his disappearance. The transactions took place at locations on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland.

Police said they hope Wednesday's release of information might jog someone's memory.

"Often you'll wind up talking to people a significant time later who have critical information, but they never told anybody because they didn't think it was important or they thought someone else may have told police," said Hall.

"We need to get this back into the public view now."

Police have not released the details of what caused Young's death.

Investigators are asking anyone who has information to call the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit's.information line at 250-380-6211.