Waking from a nap at 2 p.m. on the weekend, David found his friend of 10 years beaten senseless in the bathtub of the Newton home they rented.
On Sunday afternoon, Scott Ashley McMillan, 55, had been beaten in the head so badly, he was unable to communicate with his friend.
David – who asked that his last name not be published – went next door to call 911, bringing help.
But it was too late.
McMillan spent the next three days in hospital on life support and died on July 10.
On Thursday, David was in the process of leaving the home they shared in the 13800-block of 64 Avenue and hadn't been updated on his friend's condition.
"How is he?" he asked, then turned away and froze for a moment when he found out McMillan had died. "He didn't deserve this, nobody deserves this," David finally said. "He was a great guy."
He remembers McMillan as a man who wasn't great at the saxophone, but loved to play.
David, who had a prescription pill bottle and a pack of Pall Mall cigarettes in his shirtsleeve pocket, said McMillan didn't have any enemies he was aware of.
However, he said McMillan had some "sideline" business that might have gotten him into trouble.
The backyard of the Newton home was strewn with bicycles, a shopping cart, and other items.
McMillan had a criminal record dating back to 1985.
His most recent offence was when he was charged with break-and-enter on Nov. 5, 2010 in Langley. He was found guilty of a lesser offence of forcible entry.
Most other charges involved possession of stolen property and breaches of probation.
Police say the Newton home had been subject to police visits before.
Asked how many people lived there, a visibly shaken David said "one less now... I'm moving out," noting his girlfriend is afraid to stay there.
"For that matter, so am I," he said, as he mounted his bicycle, black brief case in hand and headed off.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has now taken over the investigation.
"IHIT is in the process of identifying persons of interest and conducting interviews in order to determine what lead up to this murder and who is responsible," said IHIT Sgt. Jennifer Pound.
An autopsy is scheduled for this week to determine cause of death.
No arrests have been made and IHIT is urging anyone who has information to call the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-4448 or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).