Police investigate connections between recent homicides

RCMP say they have not made any clear connections between two recent homicides in the North Okanagan, but they are investigating the possibility of that.

Zacheriah Bradley, 27, died in hospital after he was shot on Oct. 1. He was taken to hospital after arriving at a home on Kalamalka Road in Coldstream where, covered in blood, he asked for assistance.

His death came about two weeks after 27-year-old Erin Borgford’s remains were found in a burned-out vehicle in the Westside Road area.

Both victims had ties to the Whitehorse area including Bradley who was convicted of cocaine trafficking and weapons possession there in 2017.

A spokesman said the RCMP’s major crime unit, which is in charge of both investigations, is aware of the two victims’ geographical connection.

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“They have not yet made any clear connections, but that is something they will be considering,” Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey of RCMP Southeast District told Global News.

Police are also looking into the possibility of Bradley’s death being connected to organized crime.

“Our investigators are going to look into that possibility, but at this time, all that I can confirm is that this individual [Bradley] was known to police,” O’Donaghey added.

Bradley, according to an article in the Whitehorse Star, was sentenced to two years plus a day in prison in 2017 in Whitehorse after pleading guilty to five charges including cocaine trafficking; being at large on his recognizance by not living at the Howard House in Vernon; possessing a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun for a purpose dangerous to the public peace and possessing a Mossberg 270-calibre rifle without a licence.

He was originally charged with 23 counts, including possession of a machete.

His defence counsel at the time noted Bradley had a difficult childhood which included living in about 12 foster homes and attending four schools as a child in Vernon.