The entertainment world was shaken after the discovery of Stewart McLean’s remains last Friday, marking a tragic end to the search for the Virgin River actor who disappeared a week prior. Authorities now suspect foul play in his untimely death.
McLean, who also graced the screens in series like Supernatural and Arrow, was last seen on May 15 at his residence in Lions Bay, British Columbia. When he was reported missing on May 18, the investigation was initially handled by the Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
However, as new evidence emerged, the case took a dark turn, prompting police to reclassify it as a homicide investigation. On May 21, the Squamish RCMP announced they were handing over the case to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). McLean’s sister confirmed the tragic news of his passing in an emotional statement.
“Through diligent investigative work, we found evidence suggesting that Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide,” stated the RCMP. “On May 20, the IHIT was called in to take charge of the investigation.”
The following day, IHIT shared with the media that McLean’s remains had been located in the Lions Bay area, as reported by People. This grim discovery has left fans and the entertainment community in mourning over the loss of a beloved actor.
The following day, IHIT issued a media release announcing its discovery of McLean’s mortal remains in the Lions Bay area, according to People.
Virgin River star Stewart McLean ‘may have been murdered’, police revealed on Thursday – six days after the actor vanished
His most recent TV appearance was in a 2026 episode of the Netflix drama Virgin River’s seventh season, in which he played Barfly – pictured
McLean’s sister, Kat, confirmed ‘the loss’ of her brother in a heartbreaking social media post
In their Thursday statement announcing that the case was now a murder investigation, the authorities had said: ‘Squamish RCMP continues to work closely with IHIT and the Integrated Forensic Identification Service (IFIS) to advance the investigation.
‘Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp–grc.gc.ca.’
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for the Squamish RCMP, McLean and IHIT for further comment.
As news of the murder investigation broke, McLean’s sister Kat wrote, ‘It is with great sadness that we share the loss of our dear younger brother, Stew. He was genuine, honest, caring, and funny as heck. We will miss him incredibly.’
McLean, who is sometimes credited as Stew McLean, is described as 5ft 10, 150lbs, with gray hair and blue eyes.
At the time of his disappearance, authorities said they were ‘very concerned for Stewart’s health and well-being.’
Lions Bays Search and Rescue led the initial search for McLean as a missing person.
The actor’s most recent TV appearance was in a 2026 episode of the Netflix drama Virgin River, in which he played Barfly.
At the time of his disappearance, authorities said they were ‘very concerned for Stewart’s health and well-being’ – pictured on The Irrational as Hank Riddle in 2023
McLean, 45, also known for his roles on TV series including Supernatural and Arrow, was last seen at his home on May 15 in Lions Bay, British Columbia, Canada – pictured
McLean, who is sometimes credited as Stew McLean, is described as 5ft 10, 150lbs, with gray hair and blue eyes
After news of the homicide investigation broke, McLean’s agency, Lucas Talent Inc., shared a heartfelt lauding the ‘dedicated’ and ‘endlessly funny’ actor
His screen credits also include a second season episode of the Fox crime drama Murder in a Small Town and the Lifetime TV movie The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story.
McLean’s agency, Lucas Talent Inc., also shared a tribute.
Jodie Caplan wrote: ‘It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved client, Stew McLean. I was fortunate to have worked with Stew for more than 10 years.
‘He was always such a pleasure to deal with, dedicated, professional, eager, and endlessly funny!’
Caplan also shared that ‘many casting directors have reached out to share their condolences with Stew’s family and with our agency’ with all them saying ‘what a truly great guy he was, and how deeply he will be missed.’
