Murder victim named, but not by Mounties

Newspaper reports say man found dead in vehicle in Glenrosa was Prince George man convicted of drug trafficking

RCMP won’t release the name of a West Kelowna murder victim, even though it has been reported in other media.

The Kelowna Capital News learned through social media that the person killed Friday on McTaggart Road in Glenrosa was Joel Pennell of Prince George.

Police said they responded to reports of shots heard in the 3400 block of McTaggart at 8:15 p.m. Friday.

Officers arrived on scene and discovered a deceased male inside a vehicle, a news release said.

“Preliminary findings suggest that the incident was in fact a targeted attack,” said RCMP spokesman Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

The victim was described as a 27-year-old man who lived a “highrisk lifestyle.”

Asked if police will now release the name, O’Donaghey replied in an email on Wednesday, “RCMP are not releasing the name of the deceased as it does not serve a purpose for the still-ongoing police investigation, in order to ensure that we respect the deceased’s right of privacy.”

In 2013, the Prince George Citizen reported Pennell was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest to be followed by three years’ probation for a drugdealing case from 2011.

Pennell was was found guilty of one count each of trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon without a licence and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

“It was found that Pennell had been dealing for about a year at the time he was apprehended and was attending the College of New Caledonia, where he was one course shy of completing a diploma in business,” the newspaper reported.

Pennell and one other “were arrested on June 27, 2011, after undercover RCMP conducting surveillance of the parking lot at a College Heights shopping area came across some suspicious activity.”

“Police uncovered two ounces of cocaine, one ounce of methamphetamine, a quantity of prescription drugs and ecstasy, a sawedoff shotgun and approximately $7,000 in cash, RCMP said at the time,” the newspaper reported.

“And a subsequent search of an O’Grady Road home turned up methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana adding up to about $40,000 in street value. Also seized from the residence was a loaded Ruger SR22 semi-automatic rifle and extra magazine.”

On sentencing, the judge noted “Pennell has lived up to the conditions of his recognizance during the lengthy time the case has been before the courts, has solid support from his family, and now lives in the Okanagan, where he has started up two new businesses with the help of a partner.”