Suspect in Valentine's Day Kamloops crime spree in 2019 dies in custody
KAMLOOPS — A man charged in connection with a Valentine's Day robbery and kidnapping spree in 2019 has died in custody, while awaiting trial. Robert James Rennie, who was on the Kamloops RCMP's most wanted list, passed away at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Coquitlam on March 12.
Rennie, 33, had a bail hearing the day before his death, which was adjourned. The charges against him were stayed by the Crown on the afternoon of March 12.
Both the B.C. Coroners Service and B.C. Corrections confirmed a death occurred at the facility on that date, but did not confirm the person's identity, citing privacy reasons. Another source confirmed to Kamloops This Week that the deceased was, in fact, Rennie.
While they would not confirm the identity, B.C. Corrections and coroners service said they are investigating the March 12 death.
“B.C. Corrections is investigating and will complete a review of the circumstances,” a spokesperson said in an email.
The spokesperson said the coroners service is also investigating “as they do in all unexpected and/or unnatural deaths,” and will look to determine how, where, when and by what means the individual came to their death. It is not clear how Rennie died.
“As this is an open investigation, we are unable to provide any additional information,” a B.C. Coroners Service spokesperson said via email.
Rennie had been on the lam for nearly a year when he was arrested by Vancouver police during a 2 a.m. traffic stop on March 1.
He was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for charges of armed robbery with a firearm, forcible confinement and assault causing bodily harm — all stemming from the Valentine's Day incident in 2019.
Rennie was one of three men arrested in connection with a series of incidents, involving robbery, kidnapping and assault, spanning between Feb. 13 and 14.
The other two men — Michael Mathieson and Justin Daniels — have since been sentenced.
Mathieson, 38, is serving six-and-a-half years in a federal prison, while Daniels, 40, pleaded guilty last August and was sentenced to seven-anda-half years in a federal penitentiary.