RCMP on Vancouver Island have found the remains of two bodies, but can’t confirm if they belong to any of the three men who went missing a month ago.
On May 13, Dan Archbald, a 37-year-old father of two, and Ryan Daley, 43, arrived in Ucluelet, B.C., on the west coast of Vancouver Island, following an eight-week sailing trip from Panama.
Three days later, security footage from the port in Ucluelet caught the men leaving the area with several large bags. The men haven’t been seen since.
On the same day, Ben Kilmer, 41, went missing in Duncan, B.C., about 230 kilometres southeast of Ucluelet. Kilmer’s van was found running on the side of the road and investigators later found blood inside.
Archbald and Daley’s disappearance has recently been deemed suspicious, but police say Kilmer’s isn’t. They also don’t believe the cases are connected.
Police said Monday that a woman walking her dog near Ucluelet last week found the remains of two people.
Officers said it’s too early to confirm if the remains belong to any of the three men, but are currently working with the families of Archbald and Daley to identify the bodies, which could take a few days.
Two weeks ago, Archbald’s wife Leah Bliss told CTV Vancouver Island she already feared the worst.
“I just can’t believe that there would be any way that he wouldn’t have made contact with someone if he hadn’t been killed or if he hadn’t been held somewhere against his will,” she said.
Shannon Wiest, spokesperson for Kilmer’s family, said they believe the two bodies could be those of Archbald and Daley.
“We’re imagining that possibly that it is Ryan and Dan,” she said. “We want to express our deep empathy for the family and their friends.”
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Robert Buffam
