Police investigating suspicious death at First Nation near Lillooet

Police are investigating a suspicious death in a First Nation community near Lillooet, but say there is no connection between the latest incident and a homicide in Lillooet last week.

Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police were called to the scene on the Xaxli'p First Nation northeast of Lillooet shortly after 7 a.m. on Thursday, according to a news release from the B.C. RCMP Serious Crime Unit.

Mounties said a man was found dead in the front yard of a home. Two other people were present at the time, and all three knew each other, according to police.

The serious crime unit and the Southeast District Major Crime Unit are assisting the tribal police with the investigation, RCMP said.

“This appears to be an isolated incident and there are no perceived risks to the public at this time,” said Sgt. Chris Manseau, spokesperson for the B.C. RCMP, in the release.

“It is early in the investigation and we will not be releasing the name of the deceased.”

The BC Coroners Service has also been notified, police said.

Though it is early in the investigation, police said there is no indication that Thursday's suspicious death is related to the murder that occurred in Lillooet last week.

That incident happened near Main Street and 6 Avenue on March 15. A man was found with serious injuries and taken to hospital, but did not survive.

In an update on Tuesday, Mounties identified the deceased as 25-year-old Leeland Alexander and announced that 35-year-old Justin Ehlert had been charged with murder.