Men found dead after disappearing near Ucluelet were victims of homicide: RCMP

B.C. RCMP say human remains found near Ucluelet are those of Daniel Archbald and Ryan Daley, two men who went missing after returning from a sailing trip in May.

On Friday, investigators said their deaths were being treated as homicides.

Archbald, 37, and Daley, 43, were last seen leaving Ucluelet Small Craft Harbour on May 16. They'd docked three days earlier, having just finished an eight-week sailing trip from Panama to B.C.

Leah Bliss, Archbald's wife, said they were looking for a ride from Ucluelet to Jordan River, a small surfing hamlet on the southern end of Vancouver Island. Daley lived at Jordan River.

The men, both from Squamish, were reported missing after they didn't call home for days.

Their remains were found near Ucluelet earlier this month.

No connection to Kilmer disappearance: RCMP

​Archbald and Daley disappeared around the same time as another Vancouver Island man, but RCMP say their cases aren't being connected at this time.

Ben Kilmer, 41, was last seen in the Duncan area on May 16.

He was last spotted on surveillance video at a job site shortly before 11 a.m. that morning.

Kilmer's work van was found abandoned on Cowichan Lake Road with the engine still running in the afternoon. RCMP said a small amount of blood and his personal items were inside.

On Friday, investigators said the three mens' disappearances prompted a maelstrom of theories from the public, many linking the cases.

"Spreading false information [means it] becomes increasingly difficult for police to untangle in their investigation," Cpl. Tammy Douglas said in a statement.

Investigations into Daley and Archbald's deaths as well as Kilmer's disappearance are ongoing.

Community affected

Andrea Graham was a close friend of Daley's and lives in Squamish, where both men used to reside.

Graham and Daley knew each other through mutual friends, and said they bonded over a love of music, often writing songs together.

She said she didn't know Archbald too well, but that he was "really friendly and had a great smile."

Graham said the entire town has been affected by the news.

"It's just a really tragic situation that I think is going to impact everyone for a really long time," she said.

"It's really beyond everyone's comprehension to imagine that something like this could happen."

 With files from Liz McArthur