The friends and family of a man murdered in Cloverdale two years ago are appealing for public assistance in finding the person who gunned him down.
Christopher Whitmee was murdered at about 11 p.m. May 16, 2009 in the washroom of the Legacy Showroom in the Clover Inn at 176 Street and 57 Avenue.
A second shooting victim, a 28-year-old Surrey man, was known to police.
Investigators are now saying with certainty that Whitmee was not the intended target.
“Often times people don’t approach police in the first instance after a serious crime like homicide. We have experienced that when we make a plea to the public it triggers something that causes people to have a change of heart and they decide to come forward to police,” Cpl. Dale Carr spokesperson for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a prepared statement.
It is believed by investigators based on the information known at this time that there may be a link to drugs and gangs, however, investigators are still working toward confirming that information.
Police are asking anyone who was in the show lounge that night, who has not yet spoken with police to come forward.
On Saturday May 14, 2011 at 11 a.m. Christopher’s 11-year-old daughter Lexus Burkholder-Whitmee and her mother Heather Burkholder are expected to be holding a flyer campaign as an aid to the investigation.
Friends and associates of Christopher’s will be present to obtain flyers from Heather and then enter into the surrounding communities to post the flyers.
“Our goal is that someone sees the flyer and it refreshes a memory from that terrible incident two years ago and then reports it to police” says Heather Burkholder.
Lexus , her mother Heather and their friends will be assembling at the Langley Chapters Store located at 200th Street and the langley Bypass.
Both Heather and Lexus will be prepared to make a plea to the community through the media at 11:00 prior to handing out the flyers to their support team.
Anyone with information is asked to call IHIT Tip Line at 1-877-551-IHIT. If you wish to remain anonymous please call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.