A man found dead near a burning car in North Vancouver took his own life, according to RCMP investigators.
Firefighters came across the unidentified victim in a wooded area near the end of Rondoval Crescent sometime around 11:30 p.m. Feb. 8. They were in the area to put out a burning dark-coloured Honda that had exploded into flame on a nearby road a short time before.
Initially, police suspected the man might have been the victim of a targeted killing, but an autopsy completed on Friday concluded he had died of selfinflicted wounds.
They have not released the cause of death, but a spokesman for the North Vancouver detachment confirmed Monday that neighbours heard a gunshot that night and that a handgun was recovered at the scene.
Investigators believe the man drove to the neighbourhood, set fire to his car, and then walked a short distance to the place where he was found. Its not clear why he set the blaze.
Police would only say the man was from the Lower Mainland. The Vancouver Suns Kim Bolan has said she was told he was from North Delta.
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