Family issues plea for leads

A Surrey family is desperate for information about the killing of their slain loved one, Steven Dodd, who died three years ago Tuesday.

Dodd, a 27- year- old drug addict, was shot in the head inside a crack shack in the 13000- block of 108th Avenue. “All of the witnesses fled the scene and Steven was transported to hospital where he remained on life support for several days,” said Sgt. Jennifer Pound, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

“On March 6, 2009, Steven Dodd’s parents had the unimaginable task of removing their son from life support after he suffered a gunshot wound to the head.”

Pound issued an emotional plea on behalf of Dodd’s parents, John and Silvana, who have also recently learned that John has terminal cancer and just weeks to live.

The Dodds said their son only started using drugs after being sexually abused at the age of 13 and keeping it from his family for nine years. “Steven wasn’t a gang member or a drug dealer, he was a drug addict and was in a fragile mental state,” the parents said in their statement.

“The person or persons that did this to our son are walking free out there somewhere. We know that somebody has information about who killed Steven and we are asking you to come forward to police.”

Pound said there were more than a dozen people inside the crack shack when Dodd was shot on Feb. 27, 2009, most of them other addicts. “Investigators are hopeful that witnesses may have made significant life changes and are in various stages of addiction recovery and in a better position, physically and mentally, to come forward ...,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the IHIT tip line at 1- 877- 551- 4448 or email ihittipline@rcmp- grc.gc.ca