By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Second degree murder charge laid in suspicious death of Nanaimo man

Sep 14, 2017 | 3:06 PM

NANAIMO — A man has been charged in connection to the death of a Nanaimo man earlier this week.

RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said in a press release 46-year-old John Albert Buchanan was arrested without incident around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

He was charged with second degree murder for the death of 42-year-old Richard Sitar, who was found assaulted in an apartment on the corner of Nicol and Farquhar St. on Monday night. Sitar later died of his injuries.

O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW they don’t anticipate any further arrests in the case.

Investigators began searching a home belonging to Tanya Hiltz, who works with the homeless in Nanaimo, on Wednesday afternoon. The search, across the street from the building where Sitar was found, continued Thursday and O’Brien confirmed it was related to the suspicious death.

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Hiltz said she’s known Buchanan for roughly three months and was helping him get his life back on track. “He’s a mild-mannered and happy go lucky guy,” she told NanaimoNewsNOW.

She said she saw both Buchanan and Sitar Monday, talking at the book nook she keeps on her property for the homeless. 

“There was no confrontation, no arguing, just normal conversation.” Hiltz said she was shocked to hear Buchanan was charged.

Court documents show Buchanan has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for assault, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.

Buchanan is being held in custody until his next court appearance on Sept. 26.

island-news@jpbg.ca

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