On December 10, 2001, the Oak Bay Police Department conducted an investigation into the sudden death of 31 year old Owen Padmore. The previous evening, just before midnight, an ambulance and members of the Oak Bay Fire Department responded to a 911 medical call at a residence in Oak Bay. They attended to Mr. Padmore who had reportedly fallen and been injured. The Oak Bay Police Department investigators were contacted later that day by an emergency room doctor who had concerns about the injuries to Mr. Padmore. Forensic Identification officers and investigators attended the residence in Oak Bay later that afternoon. The following day Mr. Padmore passed away as a result of his injuries. A forensic autopsy was completed. The autopsy determined that the injury sustained by Mr. Padmore was a closed head injury consistent with a fall. As a result of all of the information gathered during this initial investigation and the autopsy results, the investigative team believed that the matter was an accidental death. Some of the exhibits seized during the course of this investigation were disposed of consistent with the policy at that time for sudden death files that were deemed to not be suspicious in nature.

In 2008, the Oak Bay Police Department received additional information which led them to reopen the investigation into the death of Owen Padmore. In May 2009, the Oak Bay Police Department and the Saanich Police Department formed a joint team of investigators to review the initial investigation. Following the review, the investigation was re-opened. On March 3, 2011, two adult residents of Victoria were arrested for manslaughter in relation to the death of Owen Padmore. An adult female was arrested on March 4, 2011, for being an accessory to the manslaughter of Owen Padmore. After additional investigation the two females were released without charges and the adult male was released on a Promise to Appear. The investigators recommended that a charge of manslaughter be approved against the male. Prior to his first appearance date Crown Counsel reviewed all of the evidence and decided not to approve a charge of manslaughter.

During the course of this investigation it became apparent that a member of the Vancouver Police Department was aware of information that was relevant to this investigation. That officer was interviewed by investigators in early March 2011, and provided information that had direct relevance to the initial grounds for arrest of the suspect in this matter. One month later, in April 2011, this officer recanted portions of his earlier statement to police.

It is alleged that the Vancouver police officer revealed details of the case to another person involved in the investigation, that the officer accessed restricted police databases without authorization and provided that information to the same person, and that the officer had failed to provide knowledge he had of the death to police.

The Oak Bay Police Department will not be commenting further on the disciplinary proceedings involving the police officer from another department or the evidence that he provided in relation to our investigation. The investigation into the death of Owen Padmore remains an open investigation.

Mark Fisher,
Chief Constable