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Fatal stabbing victim’s father said he fears RCMP will sweep investigation ‘under the rug’

RCMP say they’re committed to getting to the bottom of the 16-year-old’s death.
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Elijah-lain Beauregard’s mother stands at the Sails in downtown Kelowna during the candlelight vigil in honour of her dead son, on Sunday, July 7, 2019. (David Venn - Capital News)

Father of the late Elijah-lain Beauregard, a 16-year-old teenager who was fatally stabbed in June, said he believes RCMP are going to “sweep (Eli’s investigation) under the rug.”

Robyn Beauregard, who is now back at his home in Calgary, said healing has been difficult, mainly because there are still many questions that have yet to be answered.

“I think (RCMP) is not making Eli’s case a priority,” Beauregard said. “And I fear it’s because he was living on the streets.”

According to Beauregard, Eli lived on the streets by choice. After a stint of living with his mother and travelling across Canada with his father, he decided he wanted to be on the streets.

READ MORE: The life of Eli’s father: How a youth stab-victim ended up on the streets

Eli had a bed at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs but seldom spent the night there.

Because he was living on the streets, Eli’s family faced challenges with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. According to Beauregard, the ministry would not pay for the teen’s funeral because he was not living with his parents or in the government system at the time of his death.

Now, Beauregard fears his son’s street status may affect the investigation into his death.

READ MORE: Eli to be remembered by bridging the gap between Kelowna’s communities

RCMP media relations officer, Jesse O’Donaghey, said police are committed to solving the case.

“Homicide investigators are always determined to identify the person(s) responsible for anyone’s death, and bring them to justice, regardless of the victim’s life circumstances leading up to their passing,” O’Donaghey said.

According to O’Donaghey, Eli, like others experiencing homelessness, interacted with RCMP and Bylaw officers and his death hurt those who knew him personally.

“Many of our front line officers who knew Elijah, and in some cases were on a first name basis, were impacted by his death,” O’Donaghey said.

Kelowna RCMP Serious Crime Unit (SCU) continues to work on the case, stating that providing an accurate timeline for the completion of their investigation is difficult. Until then, Beauregard and the rest of Eli’s family and friends will have to wait.

“It just makes it all the more difficult to heal from this tragedy,” Beauregard said.

Anyone with any information that may help RCMP investigators is asked to contact the SCU at 250-762-3300.

READ MORE: Eli’s death remains unanswered: RCMP are still investigating



David Venn
Reporter, Kelowna Capital News
Email me at david.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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