A suspect has been arrested and charged in the killing of a 77-year-old Vancouver park caretaker late last year, police announced Monday.
In a news release, the Vancouver Police Department said a man in his 50s was taken into custody Saturday.
Brent Steven White is charged with one count of second-degree murder, and remains in custody, officers said.
White is accused in the death of Justus Daniel, the "beloved caretaker" of Vancouver's Tatlow Park, police said. The pair were acquaintances, according to the VPD.
Police said White does not have a criminal background with police, but was known to them.
No further information on the accused or his relationship with Daniel was provided, including a possible motive or what led them to White as a suspect.
The senior was found dead in his home on the grounds of the park on Dec. 10. Police said they believe Daniel was killed the day before his body was found.
"The long-time caretaker, who was also a well-known fixture in Kitsilano, had no known enemies. At the time of his killing there were no suspects and no known motive," the VPD said.
Since that time, homicide investigators have "worked meticulously" to gather and analyze evidence, the VPD said Monday. White was identified following this review.
"This crime shocked the community and caused significant anxiety, in part because we could not immediately explain what happened or guarantee there was no on-going public safety risk," Insp. Dale Weidman said in the VPD statement.
"We hope this arrest begins to restore a sense of safety that some had lost, and that more answers will soon be given through the court process."
A person of interest was first mentioned earlier this month, and security camera video was released to the public in hopes that the person would be identified.
At the time, police said they didn't know what the man's involvement was, if any. They also did not give a detailed description of the man.
On Monday, Weidman said police believe the person of interest in the video was White, but acknowledged that the poor quality of the video means they "can't say definitively."
In the days after his death, Daniel was remembered by his neighbours as a talented guitar player and singer who went out of his way to connect with people who visited the park.
