Abbotsford Police found photos of apparently lifeless bodies on a cell phone while investigating an Abbotsford man currently charged with counselling a woman to commit suicide.
A cell phone found in the home of Abbotsford resident Kenneth Carr contained separate images of what appeared to be a lifeless naked male and female hung by the neck in the suspect's basement suite, according to information sworn to obtain a search warrant (ITO).
Carr, 53, was charged with counselling suicide after a woman in her 40s with a history of depression showed up with a relative at the Abbotsford Police station with ligature marks around her neck on Sept. 26, 2012.
The victim had told a family member a relatively new acquaintance had given her advice on how to commit suicide, the APD stated at the time.
However, the ITO outlines allegations against Carr from police interviews that suggest he not only advised his victim, but also helped prepare a suicide note, gave her some pills, rigged a rope from the ceiling in his residence, and
placed the rope around her neck.
According to the ITO, the police allege the victim last remembers standing on a chair before awaking the following day with marks around her neck.
Carr allegedly then told the victim she had told him to stop when he went to hang her.
He then gave her a turtleneck sweater to w ear home to cover the marks on her neck.
Police allege in the ITO that a search of Carr's basement suite uncovered a few ropes suspended from floor joist supports, a suicide note in the kitchen and the cell phone with images of the apparently lifeless people on it.
A f t e r Carr's arrest, Abbotsford investigators appealed to anyone else who might have also been encouraged by Carr to take his or her own life, or have other relevant information, to contact police.
Carr was convicted of manslaughter and handed a seven-year sentence less time served in 1999 in con-nectionto the death of 17year-old Katie Kaminski.
The troubled teen who had a history of mental illness was found naked and strangled near the railroad tracks in the 300 block of Front Street in New Westminster on August 25, 1997.
Carr had reportedly met Kaminski in a homeless shelter.
The ITO alleges that the recent victim told police she had told Carr she was depressed and he offered to help her commit suicide, as he'd done it before.
The document alleged police told Carr he was being investigated for murder given the discovery of the images on the cell phone.
Carr responded the phone belonged to some unknown person who had left it in the home.
He also claimed the people in the images were all alive and only made to appear dead.
The allegations against Carr in the ITO have not been proven in court.
Abbotsford Police spokesman Const. Ian MacDonald would not get into details about the phone photos, but said investigators are not as concerned about the images as when they were first discovered.
But he stressed investigators still are concerned about other people who might have had contact with Carr.
"That doesn't preclude that there aren't any other possible victims out there, or there aren't others that could help provide information to this investigation or any others."
Based on the evidence at this time, APD is not anticipating more charges against Carr at this point.
"But if there is new information or the investigation takes another direction, it is possible," MacDonald said.
Investigators still want to hear from anyone who might have also been encouraged by Carr to take his or her own life to contact police, he added.
Carr is next scheduled to appear in Abbotsford provincial court today.
RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com