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Murder charges laid in connection with Halloween homicide near Cultus Lake

Prolific offenders Darius Commodore and David Geoghegan charged with killing Jordan Smyth in 2019
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As of June 28, 2021, David Allen Geoghegan, 31, (left) and Darius Calvin Ray Commodore, 24, are charged with the murder of Jordan Christopher Smyth on Halloween 2019, either late Oct. 31, 2019 or in the early hours of Nov. 1, 2019. (RCMP file)

Prolific offenders Darius Commodore and David Geoghegan have been charged with the murder of a 26-year-old man overnight Halloween 2019 in the Chilliwack area, The Progress has learned.

Jordan Christopher Smyth was found deceased near Cultus Lake early on Nov. 1, 2019.

READ MORE: Victim named in Halloween night homicide near Cultus Lake

At the time, Sgt. Frank Jang of the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said Smyth was known to police and they believe his killing was targeted.

Weeks after the killing, rumours made their way to The Progress that Commodore and Geoghegan were allegedly responsible.

A source said the two were arrested over the weekend, which was not confirmed by IHIT by press time. But the Chilliwack court registry confirmed Geoghegan and Commodore each face one count of murder under section 235(1) of the criminal code, which refers to either first or second degree murder.

An IHIT spokesperson said they planned on making an announcement about the Smyth case on Tuesday after The Progress went to press.

While Smyth had a number of criminal charges to his name, they were all recent, in the year prior to his death, and all relatively minor matters.

Commodore and Geoghegan, however, are well-known to Chilliwack RCMP with serious criminal records and numerous recent matters before the courts.

David Allen Geoghegan, seen here being arrested on an outstanding warrant on Nov. 2, 2018, was again arrested on a B.C.-wide warrant in May. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress file)

• READ MORE: Car theft suspects arrested by Mounties in Chilliwack

Just over a year ago, Commodore was convicted for a string of offences alongside Owen Dale Charpentier who himself is facing a murder charge for the alleged killing of Keith Baldwin, just nine days before Smyth was killed. No one has alleged there was anything connecting the two homicides.

READ MORE: Chilliwack prolific offender charged with murder of Keith Baldwin

Smyth’s body was found in an open area off a remote section of Sleepy Hollow Road on the reserve about one kilometre from Cultus Lake on Nov. 1, 2019.

IHIT asked drivers with dash-cam video who were travelling on the roadways in the Cultus Lake area on Halloween night to come forward.

“We believe [Jordan Smyth] was targeted for murder,” Jang said. “He was found wearing a black zippered hoodie, grey sweat pants, and light-coloured running shoes. There are many aspects of this investigation that still remain a mystery including the motive behind the homicide.”

After the death, a number of people posted rest in peace messages on Smyth’s Facebook page. One suggested the young man had children: “I’m so sorry to hear about this my heart goes out to your parents & your children may you rest in peace my friend.”

• RELATED: IHIT releases name of Chilliwack homicide from Tuesday

• RELATED: RCMP’s Emergency Response Team raid ‘clubhouse’ near Chilliwack homicide scene


@PeeJayAitch
paul.henderson@theprogress.com

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