Three men have been charged with second-degree murder in the wake of a shooting in Chilliwack last weekend. Jason Himpfen, 50, Zoltan Losier, 34, and Christopher Meischl, 40, are facing the murder charges in connection to the killing of 48-year-old Kristopher Benson at a home on Mellard Avenue Sunday morning, according to a news release from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. Himpfen, Losier and Meischl are also each charged with attempted murder in connection to the shooting of a second victim, who survived and remains hospitalized with serious injuries. Police responded to a report of the shooting around 8:40 a.m. on Feb. 15 and arrived to find two men inside the residence suffering from gunshot wounds. Benson, a Chilliwack resident, died at the scene. Police have not publicly identified the second victim. Public warning about suspect Himpfen has a long criminal record and was the subject of a public warning in July 2021. The Abbotsford Police Department took the unusual step of releasing his name and photo, warning that Himpfen’s alleged gang ties made him a “significant risk” to public safety. The department said “compelling circumstances” had led it to believe Himpfen could be a target for violence, and anyone associating with him in public was therefore also at risk. In October 2021, just a few months after the warning, Himpfen fled from police in Abbotsford and drove erratically, pursued by an RCMP helicopter, for 90 minutes. He was arrested in Chilliwack and found to be in possession of 370 grams of drugs, specifically fentanyl and meth, police said in a 2023 news release after charges were laid in that case. They also shared video of the chase recorded from the helicopter. Himpfen was found not guilty of second-degree murder in November 2018, in connection to a killing that occurred in July 2010. The judge in that case—now-retired B.C. Supreme Court Justice Terence A. Schultes—ruled that Crown prosecutors had not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. “While I might have been satisfied that Mr. Himpfen is probably or likely guilty, I am left with a reasonable doubt based on the matters I have identified,” the decision concludes. ‘Fast-paced investigation’ IHIT took over the Chilliwack case and worked with local RCMP, Integrated Forensic Identification Services and the B.C. Coroners Service to further the investigation. Police shared Benson’s identity on Monday, saying they believed the shooting was a targeted and isolated incident and asking the public to contact them to share information and video evidence. With the help of the heavily armed Lower Mainland District Integrated Emergency Response Team, IHIT investigators arrested one suspect in Chilliwack and a second suspect in Abbotsford on Wednesday, police said. The third suspect was arrested at a home in Chilliwack the following day. Investigators have not specified which man was arrested at each location. “This was a fast-paced investigation and some sleepless nights for our investigators,” said Sgt. Freda Fong, in the release. “The team worked tirelessly to follow up on the evidence as the case unfolded, which led to the prompt laying of charges. We would like to thank our policing partners who supported us over the past several days to effect the swift and safe arrests of the individuals involved.” Himpfen was scheduled to make a court appearance Friday, while the next court dates for the other two men were scheduled for March 5, according to online court records.
