Maple Ridge Violence Claims Three Lives in Neighbor Dispute
Authorities Investigate Fatal Incident Following Reported Altercations
A tranquil Maple Ridge neighbourhood was shattered Wednesday night by a violent event that left three people and a dog dead. Investigators from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) discovered the victims inside a home on 239th Street.
Tragic Discovery
RCMP officers responded to reports of a dispute and later a vehicle fire and break-in. Upon entering a residence, they found a man and woman, both in their 60s, deceased along with their dog. A search of a neighbouring property yielded a fourth body.
Dispute Escalates to Fatal Confrontation
IHIT stated that the incident is believed to have stemmed from a long-standing disagreement between neighbours. Residents indicated the feud involved issues such as street parking, backyard fires, and a dog belonging to the deceased couple.
One neighbour, **Bruce Fairweather**, recounted witnessing the suspect threaten the female victim hours before the violence. “She said something to him across the street, and he commented about breaking her neck,”
**Fairweather** told CBC News.
Another resident, **Cheryl Cloutier**, noted that the couple’s dog would occasionally stray onto the neighbour’s property. “She always had the dog on a long leash, and the dog would go up on his property, and he didn’t want anyone or anything on his property,”
**Cloutier** explained.
Confined Residence and Fatal Outcome
Following the initial discovery, authorities secured a neighbouring home, believing an armed individual was inside. With assistance from the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team, officers gained entry and found another person deceased. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) confirmed this individual’s death appeared to be self-inflicted and is now investigating police actions.
The events of Wednesday night have left locals shaken. “They were just a good couple, nice to have as neighbours, and very engaging,”
said **Bruce Fairweather**. “So to see them both gone now, it’s hard to fathom.”
Neighbourhood disputes can escalate with tragic consequences. In a 2023 incident in Sacramento, California, a dispute over a barking dog led to a fatal shooting, highlighting the potential for seemingly minor conflicts to turn violent. (Source: Sacramento Bee, 2023)
