Campbell River biker clubhouse raided
Devils Army gang property part of investigation into death of promising MMA fighter
Dillon Brown was a promising MMA fighter with a pregnant wife and two small children when he was found murdered in his vehicle on Vancouver Island last year.
Now B.C.’s anti-gang police have raided the Campbell River clubhouse of the Devils Army biker gang as part of the investigation into Brown’s slaying on March 12, 2016.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said the raid began about 8 a.m. Thursday at 70 Petersen Rd. in Campbell River.
Brown, 30, was found dead inside the trunk of his grey Honda Accord near Sayward, about 75 kilometres northwest of Campbell River.
Houghton said investigators believed the murder was targeted. Brown was last seen leaving a Campbell River residence a day before his body was found.
“While the investigation thus far has led us to executing a search warrant this morning at the Devils Army clubhouse, we still believe that there are people who have been reluctant to speak with us who know details about the murder of Dillon Brown,” Houghton said. “We want to speak with you and we urge you to do the right thing and contact us.”
Houghton said the investigation is proceeding quickly and that if anyone has information “now is the time to contact police.”
No one has been arrested and police were not providing details about why they are focusing on the clubhouse.
Devils Army president Richard Alexander declined Thursday to comment, in an email to Postmedia News.
“I just found out what’s up myself. No comment until I find out what’s up for real,” he said.
Alexander is listed as the owner of the clubhouse property, which was valued this year at $276,000.
The Devils Army opened in Campbell River in 2009. Police say the biker gang, which has five full-patch members and two strikers or prospects, is affiliated with the Haney chapter of the more notorious Hells Angels.
Another Devils Army chapter, which uses the number 41 for the D and A in its name, opened in Langford in 2015, prompting the city to file a civil suit against the owner of a building being used as a clubhouse there.
Campbell River Mayor Andy Adams said Thursday that “of course council is concerned” about the development in the murder investigation. But he declined to comment further and referred all calls to the RCMP.
Alexander and three others applied to trademark the helmeted skull logo that is the centre of the gang’s three-piece patch on May 22, 2009. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office finally approved the trademark in 2012, records show.
Houghton said Brown was a semipro MMA fighter who was the father of four children, two born after he died. CFSEU has been working on the investigation with the Vancouver Island integrated major crime unit, Houghton said. Over 100 officers have been involved on the case over the last year, with 60 participating in the search Thursday.
He said officers expect to be at the site for several days “as they search the clubhouse and property for evidence related to Mr. Brown’s homicide.”
“The investigation into the homicide of Dillon Brown remains ongoing and there is no further information that police are able to publicly provide at this time,” Houghton said.
Brown’s friends raised $7,500 for his widow on a gofundme page last year, describing the fighter “a compassionate and dedicated father.”
“…we still believe that there are people who have been reluctant to speak with us who know details about the murder of Dillon Brown.” — Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton