As police homicide investigators race to find the armed and dangerous man believed to have shot three people in Chilliwack – two of whom have died, details are coming to light about the violent history of the suspect, 50-year-old Eric John Shestalo.
Two women and a man were shot at a residence in the 9700-block of McNaught Road Thursday, and Shestalo was named that night as the man now being sought by the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT).
Of the two women who were killed, one was the mother of the alleged shooter’s child, and the other was a former girlfriend, according to friends and family of the victims.
READ MORE: 2 dead, suspect still at large
A friend of one of the women said on social media late Thursday that the two women had been staying together in Chilliwack for “safety” reasons, after Shestalo allegedly tried to strangle his former girlfriend two months ago.
READ MORE: IHIT investigates triple shooting
Shestalo had been due in Chilliwack Law Courts on Thursday morning on charges of domestic assault and uttering threats from April 15 in Chilliwack. The matter was moved to Aug. 5.
Shestalo also has an assault charge before the courts from July 6 in Vancouver.
IHIT is also looking for witnesses and video or dash cam footage. Anyone with information who was in the area of the 9700-block of McNaught Road between 9 a.m. and noon is asked to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-4448, or email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Shestalo is described as white, five foot, nine inches tall, 176 pounds and was last seen wearing black pants, black jacket and a black hat with orange rim. He was last seen driving a red 1990 Jeep YJ, with a yellow front end and may have licence plate MT9 81W.
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