A 34-year-old man arrested shortly after the shooting death of a Chilliwack man in April has been charged with murder.
Daniel Joseph Fabas was in custody on firearms charges since shortly after 33-year-old Dave Williams was gunned down outside a residence in the 46000 block of Princess Avenue on April 18.
On August 16 Fabas was formally charged with second degree murder, said the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team in a statement released Thursday.
The murder shocked the downtown neigbourhood. On a quiet Monday evening, an altercation outside the housing complex turned violent.
Police and paramedics responded but Williams, a former Chilliwack secondary student and father of three, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said at the time they believed the shooting was not random.
On Thursday, IHIT confirmed that Fabas, an early suspect in the investigation, was an associate.
Fabas was arrested in connection to Williams’ death for offences related to firearms possession, IHIT said. At the time of his arrest, however, homicide related charges had not been approved.
The homicide investigation continued while Fabas remained in custody on those firearms charges.
In the four months that followed, investigators pursued leads and followed up on the tips and information received from the public to further the investigation.
IHIT Investigators worked closely with the Chilliwack RCMP, IFIS, PDS, ERT, and Crown Counsel.
The help received from the public has not gone unnoticed, said Cpl. Meghan Foster of IHIT. It played a key role in obtaining the murder charge that Fabas now faces..
“This investigation highlights the importance of evidence retrieval and the commitment from IHIT to stay on course even long after a suspect has been arrested,” she said.