'Good-hearted people': Friend remembers father and son slain on Vancouver Island
The victims of a double homicide on Vancouver Island are being remembered as a loving and goofy father and son duo.
Tom Johnson and son, Brad Johnson, were found deceased in their home in Crofton, B.C. in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Justin James Dodd, 33, was arrested at the scene and has since been charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
A friend of the Johnsons, Terese Shearer, says Dodd was a friend of Brad's from high school, and that the Johnsons were helping him through a rough stretch in his life, though she admits she is uncertain on all the details.
She says the Johnsons had taken in Dodd for a couple of nights "just to help him get back on his feet."
"It's crazy to me that this guy came and got help from these two, and this is what they get," she told CTV News on Tuesday.
But, Shearer says she wants the community's focus to stay on the victims.
"They were such good-hearted people," said Shearer. "They would do anything for anybody, honestly."
Brad Johnson (left) and Tom Johnson (right) are pictured: (Terese Shearer)
She says the father and son were "two peas in a pod" who spent lots of time together and acted like best friends.
"Brad was just like a teddy bear, he was a sweet soul. I can say that for Tom as well," she said.
Shearer says she's best friends with Brad's sister and Tom's daughter, Chelsea, and that she's grown up with the family for more than a decade.
"Blood never means family to me, and they always felt like family to me," she said. "It's so heartbreaking."
On Monday, North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP said they were in the early stages of their investigation. Officers from Nanaimo RCMP's forensic identification section are also assisting with the investigation, Mounties say.
Dodd's next court appearance is slated for Nov. 2. None of the allegations against him have been tested in court.
"I want people to know about how good-hearted, how loving, and how kind Brad Johnson and Tom Johnson are," said Shearer.
"They had such hearts of gold and they were just the goofiest and funniest and most loveable people you could come across," she said. "And they're going to be missed every single day."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help members of the Johnson family.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.