IHIT lays charges nearly four years after double homicide in Burnaby

Investigators say a 27-year-old man has been charged in connection with the deaths of two people whose bodies were found inside a vehicle in Burnaby nearly four years ago. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said it spent four years investigating the deaths of 31-year-old Kiesha Garie and her fiancé, 30-year-old Umair Kasim.

Garie’s mother created a memorial outside Alpha Secondary School, where the pair were discovered. She had to replace it after it was destroyed earlier this year. At the time, IHIT Sgt. Freda Fong told CTV News that investigators “have not given up.”

IHIT announced Friday that Mohammad Arif Ansari had been arrested in connection with Garie and Kasim’s deaths. The team said the B.C. Prosecution Service had approved two counts of second-degree murder and one count of indignity to human remains against him.

IHIT said it believes the homicides were targeted and confirmed that “the parties involved were known to one another.” In a statement Friday, Fong said the approval of charges marked a significant milestone after investigators pursued multiple avenues and carefully examined the evidence. She said IHIT recognizes the profound impact the homicides have had on the victims’ families and that the team’s thoughts remain with them as the judicial process moves forward.

IHIT said it will release no further information because the matter is now before the courts.