The wife and older brother of Ashley Testawich have questions.
“We have been told heart attack. However heart attack victims don’t have iPhones walk away, and with heart attacks you normally don’t have people claiming they can’t remember, or witnesses changing stories,” says Ashley’s older brother David.
Dawson Creek RCMP confirmed in early December reports that a body found a man unresponsive the morning of Dec. 8 after responding to a call to the Hart Hotel in Pouce Coupe at 7:48 am, who was later pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. They said the death appeared to be suspicious in nature, and were looking to the public for information. RCMP have since said the death is not suspicious.
Ashley’s wife Dayna says she has now heard a handful of people tell her different variations of stories. She notes that his cell phone was still being used after his death.
“I wonder if the RCMP have heard any of them. All I know is the RCMP called me from Dawson Creek to tell me my husband died – and when I came to identify him he clearly had bruises, scrapes and scratches,” she says.
“He was struck on the back and side of the head.”
Testawich’s wife says both her husband’s cell phone and glasses are missing is part of this.
“Ashley can’t see without his glasses on – he would not give them to anyone.”
Bank records.
Dayna says bank account statement reveals only $17.25 was spent on the evening he died – and she says her husband’s cell phone was being accessed long after Dayna was told of his death.
“We’ve heard he was kicked out because he was drunk, yet he has a $17 bar bill. We’d just like some truth.”
The family says the same people have been giving different accounts to them about what happened inside and outside the establishment.
“The (same person) has given three different story to my son, myself, and Dayna,” Jolene Polak, sister in law of Testawich.
Dawson Creek RCMP Staff Sgt. Damon Werrell says almost every and any death is treated suspicious by RCMP unless obvious evidence such as an accident or suicide are at play.
“Any death we treat as suspicious until we can prove that it isn’t,” he says, adding results of autopsy say the death is not suspicious.
Messages to BC Coroner have not been returned.
