Mounties seek tips about movements of SUV before body discovered near Merritt after blaze

Tips sought after body found

Photo: Castanet

Police are looking for tips relating to an SUV inside of which a person was found dead near Merritt.

Mounties are investigating after a body was discovered inside a Buick Rendezvous SUV found burning along Highway 97C near Mamit Lake Ranch Road.

Emergency crews were called to the area for a report of a fire early Tuesday afternoon, and the highway was closed until 10 p.m.

Kelowna-based detectives from the RCMP’s southeast district major crimes unit are handling the investigation, and they said on Tuesday they were working to determine the cause of the blaze and whether foul play was involved.

On Friday, police put out a call for information about the Rendezvous. Investigators believe it was driving in the area of Highway 8 and Highway 97C earlier in the day on Tuesday.

Mounties are specifically looking for dash-cam footage or information about the vehicle between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Anyone with information can call police at 250-470-6381.