RCMP believe bodies found inside crashed car to be those of missing Sidney, B.C., couple

RCMPin north Saanich, B.C., are no longer seeking information in the search for a missing Sidney couple, following the discovery of a crashed vehicle off the highway to the Swartz Bay Terminal.

Const. Meighan de Pass said Monday, police believe the bodies to be those of the missing Sidney, B.C., couple Easha Rayel and James Evans.

Rayel, 36, and Evans, 23, were last seen Friday Aug.9, and were believedto be traveling together in a dark blue 2002 BMW 325Ci, heading to the Vancouver area.

In a written statement issued Saturday, RCMPsaid "on Aug.24, 2019, the vehicle and two occupants were located, withthe occupants being deceased from an apparent motor vehicle incident."

The vehicle wasfoundin a steep ditch offthe Patricia Bay Highway in North Saanich, just north of McDonald Park Road.

On Monday,de Pass saidevidence found at the scene leads them to believe the bodies are the missing couple, butinvestigatorsare waiting for confirmation from post-mortem testingand are working with the BC Coroners Service.

At the scene Sunday afternoon, Chek News spoke toAlistair Evans, James Evans's father.

"Anybody knows him knows who he is [...]He was no star of the football team, but he's a good guy. They're good friends and you know that'sit.It's just sad that ithappened."

RCMP are still investigating the cause of the crash, but de Pass said the stretch of highway where the crash occurred is straight, and there are no marks on the road to indicatethere was a crash before the vehicle went off the road.

"Hopefully, we will find an answer with the investigation, but sometimes we don't get an answer when it's a fatal."

The BC Coroners Service said it expects there will be an update Tuesday.