Photo by Vince Fedoroff
MURDER SCENE – Police investigate last Friday night’s homicide on Stan McCowan Place in Porter Creek. One man was fatally shot.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
MANY PEOPLE SPOKEN TO – RCMP Insp. Archie Thompson discusses last Friday night’s homicide with reporters late this morning outside the detachment.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
OFF-LIMITS – Police tape barred access to Stan McCowan Place as the homicide investigation ensued.
Photo by Photo Submitted
VICTIM IDENTIFIED – Matthew Devellano, 32, died in last Friday night’s shooting. Photo courtesy FACEBOOK
Investigation called ‘complex’; public is not believed at risk
Whitehorse RCMP are still looking for a suspect or suspects after the city had its first homicide of the year last Friday night.
Whitehorse RCMP are still looking for a suspect or suspects after the city had its first homicide of the year last Friday night.
Matthew Devellano, 32, was shot outside a residence at Porter Creek’s Stan McCowan Place.
The incident occurred just after 10 p.m.
Devellano, a Whitehorse resident, was taken to Whitehorse General Hospital, where he died of his injuries at 11 p.m.
Witnesses reported seeing a dark-coloured (possibly red or maroon) older-style minivan leaving the house after the shooting.
By Sunday, more than 30 police officers had interviewed more than 40 people.
No arrests had been made as of early this afternoon.
Insp.Archie Thompson spoke to the media outside RCMP headquarters downtown late this morning.
He called the investigation complex and ongoing. He said it involves officers from within the major crimes unit as well as officers from other RCMP units and detachments.
During the short briefing, Thompson said he couldn’t respond to a number of questions. He did, however, confirm that there was not an exchange of gunfire during Friday night’s events.
Police say they do not believe the violence was random, and the general public is not believed to be at risk. However, they caution that that the person or people involved may still be armed.
Anyone with information is asked to report to the police by calling 667-5555.
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (28)
Up 1 Down 2
my guess on Oct 17, 2016 at 4:48 pm
I am quite confident that the person who killed Matthew is behind bars already. They may not have a case fully arranged against him for murder and therefore no charges have been laid for murder, but I cannot believe that they would not be publishing a description / pictures / name, if the shooter were still at large. They just would not take that chance with the public, I would hope, and also they would want to get him into custody before he slipped away.
So be cool, all. In a short time we'll know who is being charged.
Up 9 Down 4
Stephan on Oct 17, 2016 at 4:21 pm
@yukon 56. Police state? Why, because I would welcome a police officer into my home? Saying police officers are welcome in my home and on my street is a far cry from a police state.
Yukon is a long way from North Korea or the chaos of the Middle East my friend....time to realize how fortunate and lucky we are, including appreciating the ones who are there to help us.
Generally the only people who "live in fear" of the police or who think they are lazy, heavy handed and corrupt are those who have a criminal record...
Up 4 Down 5
yukon 56 on Oct 16, 2016 at 7:11 pm
Stephan, do you want to live in a police state?
Up 10 Down 6
Salar on Oct 16, 2016 at 1:08 pm
The RCMP have to do the things most of us won't or would rather not do. They are handcuffed by the very laws they are tasked to enforce. Criminals know how to take advantage of their rights under the law or another way to say it is they are devoid of morality and do things to make money that the rest of know are wrong.
The RCMP are under staffed and underfunded as well. If a major event whether criminal or environmental were to take place, they would be there doing what they could to maintain order but we shouldn't be foolish enough to expect they can take care of everything.
In this case they are trying to ensure the killer/s....don't get off on a technicality. But at least there is one less degenerate to police now.
Up 15 Down 11
Mark on Oct 14, 2016 at 10:01 pm
For the police, I am a thankful person. For some people to say they are not trying to catch this person or persons, shows pure stupidity.These guys put their lives on the line every day on and off duty.
But I guess for all the social media warriors out there, they'll solve it themselves. But maybe, just maybe, one of these people might realize that a day may come where they, themselves need the police's help. Guess what? They WILL be there for you.
Criticizing is the easy thing to do when you aren't capable of doing the job yourself. Everyone carries cellphones with cameras. Only have time for selfies?
This case to me, sounds like the guy who got shot, got payback from previous actions. One less drug associate. I can live with that, but the last thing anyone wants is for an innocent person to get hurt or killed. To me, this guy saved us court time and costs. Now to get the killer and they will.
They always get their man!
Up 18 Down 1
Equal on Oct 14, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Condolences to his family and friends.
Up 50 Down 4
ProScience Greenie on Oct 13, 2016 at 8:16 am
It appears the police are working diligently to ensure that the case, if solved, does not get thrown out of court on a technicality. Good on them if that is the case. The crack and other hard drug epidemic in Whitehorse has to be stopped. The suppliers, dealers and their sympathizers are a scourge in this territory.
Up 42 Down 14
Stephan on Oct 13, 2016 at 8:04 am
Yes, shame on the RCMP for failing to prevent this random act of extreme violence in a quiet law abiding otherwise unassuming neighbourhood. How dare they drink coffee while I pay their salary...I mean who likes coffee let alone gets breaks at work??!
I do not see police cars on my street...I for one do not see this as an act of laziness or lack of concern or compassion for the citizens in my area. No...I take it as a compliment. I know there are officers working, and when needed they will be there in short order, and the mere fact that they are not visible on my street means to me, that I picked a good place to live....because the police are, where they are needed.
Not that I would be offended and or worried if I seen them on my street as seems to be the popular culture of social media as of late. Quite the contrary...they are always welcome in my st and in my home for that matter because I am not a drug dealer or a thief, and I have nothing to hide, therefore nothing thing to fear.
Police do just fine with minimal resources and dealing with incredible difficult situations which for the most part people got themselves into.
Just glad no innocent child was harmed in the Mayhem with a round going through their bedroom wall.
Condolences to the families of all involved. And thank you RCMP for all you do.
Up 30 Down 7
drum on Oct 12, 2016 at 6:22 pm
All I feel is for his family.
Who could handle something like this?
He was one of our local young men. No one deserves something like this.
His Mum is in my thoughts.
Up 38 Down 8
Roger on Oct 12, 2016 at 5:00 pm
To people who expect to see Police car on every corner and on every street in Whitehorse at least once a day.
Do you realize how many police officers work a day shift? Do you realize that 90% of their day is spent dealing with 10% of the population (generally the percentage who pay little if any taxes and are on social programs of one kind or another, or would rather steal something or sell drugs rather than make an honest living)
They...like everyone else is strapped for money and personnel...plus if there was a car on every street then you'd all probably complain more about that too.
Don't want shootings in your city? Don't do or sell drugs....better yet, don't drink either. Because drugs and booze cause 95% of crime.
Up 33 Down 4
M on Oct 12, 2016 at 4:44 pm
@richard - They caught the guy yesterday
@gary - They've been out in record numbers in their undercover vehicles with everything from new SUVs to 20-30 year old trucks. I can't recall the last time I saw 3 separate undercover vehicles at one pc gas station just to drive pass the pc strip mall and see another. They were also hanging around the edges of town doing various things.
Up 32 Down 5
Douglas on Oct 12, 2016 at 4:40 pm
@gary. So you are saying that the officers should not work the case but drive the streets instead? How is that gonna solve anything?
Having 30 officers patrolling the streets at night...you gonna be ok with your taxes increasing 300%? Think rationally here.
I live in the area where it happened....if I seen a police car on my street everyday, I don't think it would have prevented this....
Up 58 Down 4
Mark Sanders on Oct 12, 2016 at 4:26 pm
There have not been many murders here the last few years and the ones that do occur are often related to the drug trade.
It's perhaps a little harsh to put so much blame on the police force. If everyone knows the shooter than someone must know where he is, why not help the police and stop the blame game.
And it goes without saying that drugs mess up many lives.
Up 49 Down 2
Crazy comments on Oct 12, 2016 at 3:59 pm
Condolences to this man's family. But when I see the words 'not a random act' and 'general public not at risk', I interpret that as 'if you're not a drug dealer or hanging out with a drug dealer, you should be ok'.
Up 21 Down 64
Richard Ablanalp on Oct 11, 2016 at 10:10 pm
"public is not believed at risk " - weasel words
translation - they have no bloody idea what's going on
Up 64 Down 3
Douglas on Oct 11, 2016 at 7:39 pm
Social media posts and twitter hashtags about who did it do not make a legal case.
Life isn't CSI, nothing happens in an hour.
Up 14 Down 45
Gary Liddy on Oct 11, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Maybe some of the THIRTY police officers should be patrolling after dark instead of interviewing people after the next (and there will be one sooner than later) major crime.
Up 36 Down 11
Barry Smith on Oct 11, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Have any of our political candidates indicated what they plan to do about the exploding crime rate in WH?
I live in center town - not feeling very safe after 6 PM these days
Up 75 Down 9
ProRCMP on Oct 11, 2016 at 6:47 pm
People are so quick to judge the RCMP. Damien, maybe you should sign up and go to Depot if you you think you can do a better job! "Crime is up but the police do not seem to be doing anything about it". Really!! And how about this, do you think they get a kick out of talking with the young man's family and friends about what happened?
They too go home and at the end of their workday and try to sleep at night, and sooner or later they're going to have to go tell someone that their son or daughter or parent was killed in a motor vehicle accident because all of the jerk drivers in this town. Is that their fault too, because they can't stop the jerk driver's?
Words in some of these comments only show ignorance in this society.
Up 11 Down 39
Josey Wales on Oct 11, 2016 at 6:38 pm
I'll mention this again in case it fell on deaf ears.
The decay continues, our compost we used to call our community carries on. What is random violence? What is non random violence?
Is there random carnage too? Non random carnage?
What level of violence gets, say, a result like when a member gets shot?
Ya know for us regular folks?
Any violence projected at me gets terminated not classified.
Any decay and violence in our effin' community, should also be terminated. Yes courts that is very well enabled by your nonsense, the decay and violence.
40 years of hug a thug P.E.T. policies, perpetuated most certainly with his son at the helm.
So, so very important point that cycle of lunacy and where it came from, how it gets fed, and more importantly why it must cease.
The courts care little, M seems distracted...maybe I'll stop wasting their time and mine with compost updates on the stench here.
Folks there daily is evidence suggesting just how very correct my historical bleats of us being on our own are fact based Vs. Opinion.
I do not need to be right, I'd love to be proven wrong.
Hey star why not do a actual story, illustrating all of the Yukon's unsolved homicides?
Or should we carry on getting conditioned for the decay, as this only needs our vigilance not our concern...
I truly hope this person is brought to justice, at least an interruption of a few months of its useless life.,
Up 20 Down 50
June Jackson on Oct 11, 2016 at 5:31 pm
Another life lost. Rest in Peace young Matthew...
M Division has not been competent for a long long time now. Whether it is a B & E, or a murder, they are not up to the task. Any of them, not individually, and certainly not as a cohesive unit. Someone knows who the gun toting party crashers are..they're either not telling, or the RCMP is not telling.
No matter what they say, no one is safe. Mr. Brewer makes a good point.. indeed, why does someone feel bold enough to shoot into the air and kill a person in what is a family oriented neighborhood?
Up 40 Down 13
Anonymous on Oct 11, 2016 at 5:05 pm
So many people know who did it. It's all over social media. The shooters facebook is up, his pics are available to anyone. The cops were fully advised WHO did it (I know this for a fact) so why are they refusing to release the name? I'm sorry but I consider that putting the public at risk.
Up 23 Down 13
It's a mystery on Oct 11, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I googled the victim and wonder if he may have been "hanging out with the wrong people" again.
From 2007:
"31 rocks of crack cocaine... five bags, each filled with 0.5 grams of powdered cocaine... 14 x 2.2-gram bags of cocaine ...another 31 rocks.... $20,000 in bills in a shoebox....two scales... between 20 and 30 cellphones, most of which didn’t work....an AK-47 assault rifle, a Mach 10 machine pistol...shotguns and rifles that had been reported lost or stolen by their owners....a large amount of ammunition...
“At the end of the day, Mr. Bourne accepts primary responsibility for the drugs and weapons,” said Faulkner.
“Auclair admits he was somewhat involved in the cocaine trafficking .
But the cash is another story.
Bourne may apply to use some of the cash to pay his lawyer’s fees.
Both men may not possess a firearm for 10 years after their release.
The Crown stayed the proceedings against co-accused Matthew Devellano.
http://yukon-news.com/news/pair-guilty-of-drug-trafficking-one-takes-rap-for-illegal-firearms
Up 35 Down 8
Loves Yukon on Oct 11, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Oh Thomas, please stop judging the RCMP and cause more fear. They are not diminishing anything. Do you think that perhaps they have families of their own and care about the same things you and everyone else in this down does!! I'm pretty sure they're doing their damnedest trying to make an arrest of the murderer...and they could always use help from the public.
Up 30 Down 17
Rusty on Oct 11, 2016 at 4:25 pm
A quick google search will tell you that the victim was one of the those arrested when the RCMP did their big bust in Sternwheeler Village some years back, when they found the assault rifles and drugs and all that. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to surmise that this was probably a targeted "hit" by one drug crew to another. Such a small town you'd think the RCMP would know who to talk to.
Up 95 Down 30
Thomas Brewer on Oct 11, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Any time that thugs feel bold enough to discharge 4 rounds at someone, in a residential neighborhood, I feel at risk. Shame on the RCMP to discount and diminish this very real threat in our city.
Up 105 Down 17
Damien Lankow on Oct 11, 2016 at 4:03 pm
40+ witnesses, shot at a party, the word is out everywhere...how complex can this case really be? I suggest the cops find him before someone else does. People will start taking things into their own hands if the police don't.
Up 99 Down 34
anonymous on Oct 11, 2016 at 3:32 pm
Done with this. If it is all over social media about who did it then why do the police not know? Or, if they do know, why are they not releasing a name and be on the lookout for ACROSS CANADA like the rest of Canada does when there is a murder? Time to actually start solving crimes instead of hoping the suspect falls into your lap.
I am a member of the public and regardless of whether it was targeted or not I do not feel safe in Whitehorse anymore. Crime is up but the police do not seem to be doing anything about it.