Saanich Police are hoping to bring a close to a case that has baffled investigators for nearly 45 years.
In the early morning hours of June 9, 1973, Scott Emanuel Cooper was found unconscious at the intersection of West Saanich Road and Wilkinson Road.
A passing motorist discovered the 20-year-old at 3:25 a.m. unconscious in the intersection, and he was taken to Victoria General Hospital (St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Hospital), where he remained in a coma until his death on July 19, 1973.
B次元官网网址淥ne theory at the time was that Scott may have been the victim of a hit and run, however, that was never proven,B次元官网网址� said Sgt. Jereme Leslie, adding the cause of death was never determined.
He said Cooper had sustained head injuries, but a coronerB次元官网网址檚 inquest was inconclusive on the cause of death.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 guessing because the 1973 reporting standards and documentation standards were significantly less than what they are 45 years later, both from the policing standpoint and a coroners standpoint,B次元官网网址� said Leslie.
Investigators at the time were able to establish that Scott had caught a taxi at 1:30 a.m. from Douglas Street and Hillside Avenue which took him to the old Town and Country Mall (now Uptown). He hitchhiked from there and was dropped off at West Saanich Road and Elk Lake Road around 3:10 a.m.
Police are hoping someone might come forward with information about the case.
B次元官网网址淵ou never know. Sometimes peopleB次元官网网址檚 life circumstances change. TheyB次元官网网址檝e been holding onto that information for some reason,B次元官网网址� said Leslie, adding police do not have a photograph or Cooper.
Saanich Police are asking for anyone with information on CooperB次元官网网址檚 death to contact them on their information line at 1-888-980-1919 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
