Vancouver police look for occupants of vehicle seen near site of June murder

Vancouver police shared photos and video of the SUV that drove past the crime scene and may have witnessed "an altercation" on the night Wataru Kakiuchi was killed. They're asking the occupants of the vehicle to come forward. (VPD)

Homicide investigators are renewing their call for witnesses to the June 5 slaying of Wataru Kakiuchi in Vancouver.

Timothy Isborn was arrested and charged with second-degree murder a week after the death of Kakiuchi, a Japanese citizen and well-known cook at Vancouver's Hapa Izakaya since 2015.

On Thursday, the Vancouver Police Department said investigators are still hoping to speak to more witnesses in the case, and specifically asked the occupants of a vehicle seen driving on Main Street around the time of the killing to contact police.

“We have made an arrest in this murder, but the investigation is ongoing and we continue to gather evidence,” said VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison, in a news release.

“Whoever was in this vehicle may have important information about the murder, and we’re asking them to come forward.”

The vehicle, a black or dark-coloured SUV, was travelling south on Main Street around 2:30 a.m. on June 5, police said. It stopped at a red light at Union Street, then turned right and drove onto the Dunsmuir Viaduct toward downtown.

Police said they have yet to identify the vehicle's occupants. They believe whoever was in the SUV may have witnessed "an altercation," but was unaware that it was related to a homicide.

Kakiuchi was discovered suffering severe injuries shortly before 3:30 a.m. on June 5 near the intersection of Main and Union streets. He died at the scene.

The VPD released two short videos showing the witness vehicle on Thursday, and asked its occupants to contact the department's homicide unit at 604-717-2500. Anyone else who has information about the killing is also asked to call that number.