A well-respected occupational therapist and her husband have been identified as the victims in this week’s double murder in Marpole.
Dianna Mah-Jones, 65, and Richard Jones, 68, were found dead in their home on 64th Avenue near Hudson Street Wednesday afternoon.
Mah-Jones worked as an occupational therapist at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and Vancouver General Hospital.
“Vancouver Coastal Health is shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Dianna Mah-Jones and her husband,” the health authority said in a statement released Friday. “Our deepest sympathies go to her family, friends and colleagues.
“A compassionate health care professional, she was a much-loved member of the VCH family for 35 years who achieved much in her career.”
In 2015 she was named the Outstanding Occupational Therapist of the Year by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists B.C. and just this past June she was honoured by the health authority as B.C.’s Health Care Hero at the annual B.C. Health Care Awards.
“Dianna will be remembered as someone who went above and beyond to make a difference for her patients and will be missed by all who knew her,” the statement reads.
Officers were called to the couple’s home at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to check on their well-being. Const. Jason Doucette said officers were sent to the residence after a friend stopped by and noticed something that caught their attention.
Late Thursday afternoon police issued a public plea for help locating the couple’s 2014 white Kia Soul.
The police issued the call for help locating the vehicle just after 4:30 Thursday afternoon. The car was located several hours later, at around 9:30 p.m., parked and empty in the area of Cartier Street and Park Drive, not far from the couple’s home.
Doucette said investigators are going through the car methodically looking for any clues.
"Vancouver police are working to establish a motive in Wednesday's double homicide and, out of an abundance of caution, are reminding the public to be vigilant and report suspicious behaviour to police," Doucette said.
"This investigation is a top priority for the VPD," he said. "There is nothing so far to suggest this was anything but a random crime. That's why we are asking the public to look out for one another, and report anything suspicious to 911."
The couple had a suite in the home listed for rent on Airbnb. However, Airbnb spokesperson Lindsey Scully said there was no active reservation at the time of the murder.
Doucette said police have yet to establish a clear motive in the case but would not say if investigators have any suspects or persons of interest.
“It is still very early in the investigation and a motive isn’t clear yet,” he said. “As our detectives collect information and put pieces of this puzzle together, we are encouraging anyone with information about the deaths, regardless of how unimportant they think it may be, to contact us immediately.
“Every little piece of information will help in an investigation like this.”
The deaths mark the city’s 14th and 15th homicides of 2017. There were 12 murders in Vancouver in 2016.
