Police are recommending a manslaughter charge against an Oak Bay man for the 2001 death of Owen Padmore.

Oak Bay police Const. Laurence Riel said officers arrested three people last week in connection with the death of the 31-year-old Oak Bay resident. Two of the three were released without charges, but a third, a 38-year-old man, could face criminal charges.

B次元官网网址淭wo years ago, we received information about the death of Mr. Padmore that B次元官网网址� could result in new information about the file,B次元官网网址� Riel said.

Padmore had been visiting his motherB次元官网网址檚 house in central Oak Bay on Dec. 10, 2001. Sometime that day he received internal head injuries and his mother called an ambulance. He died the next day in Victoria General Hospital.

Oak Bay investigators didnB次元官网网址檛 initially rule out foul play. But a coronerB次元官网网址檚 report and witness statements at the time resulted in PadmoreB次元官网网址檚 death being classified as non-suspicious.

Two years ago, someone came forward to police with new information about the death. An investigation was relaunched, but Riel wouldnB次元官网网址檛 provide details about that person or what the new information entailed.

On March 3, officers arrested the 38-year-old suspect, who Riel said was at the house where Padmore stayed the night before he died. With no history of criminal activity, the man was released from police custody, but was forced to surrender his passport and ordered not to travel.

Asked whether the suspect is a relative of Padmore, Riel would only say he didnB次元官网网址檛 want to B次元官网网址渏eopardize the ongoing investigationB次元官网网址� by releasing that information.

The suspect appears in court June 23.

Up to eight Oak Bay officers, including Riel for a time, worked on the renewed investigation along with major crime officers from Saanich and RCMP officers.

Riel mentioned B次元官网网址渟everalB次元官网网址� injuries had been sustained by Padmore, but didnB次元官网网址檛 share any further details.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com