VancouverMETRO VANCOUVER NEWS
Suspect found dead two years after man was doused in accelerant and set on fire in Whalley
Police say Kalid Yimer, 33, was believed to be solely responsible for a 2024 attempted murder in Surrey. He was found dead in a Fleetwood forest in August 2026, leading police to close the investigation; they say his death is not considered suspicious.
Surrey police say they have closed an attempted murder investigation after the primary suspect was found dead. The investigation began on Aug. 2, 2024, when a man was doused in accelerant and set on fire in the 10200 block of City Parkway in Whalley. He suffered serious burns and was taken to hospital.
Police soon recovered a stolen vehicle driven by the suspect as they searched for 33-year-old Kalid Yimer to question him about the attack. Yimer had been identified as a suspect.
In August 2026, officers with the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) were called to a forested area in Fleetwood, Surrey, after human remains were found. Surrey Police Service announced on Wednesday, Oct. 7, that police had confirmed through their investigation that Yimer had died. Police said they do not believe criminality was involved and do not consider the cause of death suspicious.
Police believed Yimer was the lone person responsible for the City Parkway attack and have concluded the investigation into the 2024 attempted murder; the charge was abated because he died. Staff Sgt. Tara Nicholls, who is in charge of the RCMP SPOSU Investigative Services Section, said police may never learn the true motive for the attack, but hoped the victim and community could be assured that police had found the person responsible.
Police said the victim has been informed of Yimer’s death and has asked for privacy.