RCMP officials say a Duncan resident is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Tyeshia Jones and Karrie Ann Stone.
Twenty-four-year-old William Gordon Robert Elliott was arrested late Friday in connection to the killings of the two Vancouver Island women, RCMP Supt. Jim Gresham announced at a press conference at a Duncan firehall Saturday.
The mothers of both the slain women, who also spoke at the press conference, welcomed the news of the arrest and charges.
"It was a big relief; you keep wondering if it's going to come," Karrie Ann's mother Bev Stone said.
The women shared their grief over the loss of their daughters.
"Her passing in this way will never, ever be out of my heart," Stone said. "There are so many dreams that she had that are gone now, and my dreams for her as well."
"We're not supposed to bury our children, they're supposed to bury us," Tyeshia's mother Mary Jim added.
The charges against Elliott come nearly two years after Karrie Ann Stone's badly burned body was found in a wooded area outside of Duncan. The 42-year-old was hoping for a fresh start when she disappeared after finishing a seven-month drug rehabilitation program. Her remains were discovered on July 12, 2010, which was the same day her mother reported her missing.
Tyeshia Jones vanished on Jan. 22, 2011 after leaving a house on the Cowichan reserve. Her family has been told she left early in the morning to meet a friend at a grocery store, but never arrived. The 18-year-old's cellphone was found about a kilometre away from the house. Her body was found six days later near a First Nations cemetery following a massive search.
Investigators are tight-lipped on where and how Elliott was arrested, but hinted the public led them in the right direction.
"There was, as always, a number of tips that came in which were very helpful to the investigation," Gresham said.
Police say although charges have been laid, the investigation is ongoing.
A forensic team searched for evidence tied to the two killings in an abandoned home on the outskirts of Duncan Friday night and Saturday morning. It is unclear what the connection is to Elliott, who has a criminal record for break and enter and breach of probation.
Cowichan Chief Harvey Alphonse says Elliott had a troubled childhood.
"He was taken away from his family as a young kid," Alphonse said.
His words came on the heels of another elder's appeal to let the justice system do its work.
"I do need to caution all of us not to take revenge, not to seek revenge, but let the law handle that part," Arvid Charlie said to the group at the press conference.
Jim says her relatives had indirect ties to the arrested man.
"My nephews actually grew up with him, they went to school with him, they knew who his friends were," she said.
Cowichan band member Jon Coleman says the strong community support following the murders will help everyone cope as the court proceedings continue.
"You can just feel this heavy weight and this burden come down and we understand that this is just the beginning," he said. "It's just a little overwhelming."
Both Jim and Stone are waiting for explanations.
"For myself, I feel I've been holding on to her because I didn't know what happened to her and who did it and why they did it," Jim said.
"There's going to be so many questions I need for myself, and I'm hoping down the road I will get those answers," Stone said.
With reports from CTV British Columbia's Penny Daflos and Maria Weisgarber
