A grieving father slammed an iron cross into the ground at the side of the Pat Bay Highway on Monday to remember his 23-year-old son who was found dead alongside his girlfriend Saturday.
James Evans and Easha Rayel, 36, were reported missing by family on Aug. 11.
Police asked the public to keep an eye out for the Saanich Peninsula couple and the blue 2002 BMW 325i they were believed to be travelling in.
Evans’s father Alistair Evans told CTV News the couple was falling in love and worked together at different restaurants at the Victoria International Airport.
On Saturday afternoon, a person was walking a dog near the forested area and discovered a crashed BMW.
“Stuff like this is a tragedy and it shouldn’t happen,” said Evans. “They were enjoying life and it wasn’t meant to happen like this.”
RCMP Const. Meighan de Pass said evidence at the scene confirmed the couple was dead and police notified their next of kin.
“This is the worst-case scenario to a missing person investigation, but at least it does give us an answer for the families,” said de Pass.
Many questions still remain about the crash, such as when it happened and why it took until Saturday afternoon for someone to discover the car.
“No one had noticed the vehicle from the general public or the police on patrols due to the fact that it is a steep embankment,” said de Pass.
The BC Coroners Service is now trying to determine how, why and when the couple died.
“That process will take time and it would be premature to speculate on those deaths,” said spokesperson Andy Watson.
As he drove away from the scene beside the highway where his son was found dead, Evans shouted from his car, “I’ll miss you, James.”
James’s twin brother Zach posted on social media saying he wants his brother back and has created a GoFundMe fundraiser.
