Stewart McLean death: Virgin River actor's friend gives chilling update after body found; ‘I knew there…’

THe remains of canadian river doer jimmy stewart McLean, c. H. Best known for his role in Netflix's Virgin River, were found on fri, May 22, in Lions Bay, British Columbia. He was 45. Police are investigating his death as a homicide.'I knew there was a big trouble': What his friend saidActing coach Jeff Seymour who is based in Los Angeles had known McLean for about eight years. He told the Canadian Press that missing a shoot was completely out of character for the actor. “He was meticulous about everything and there would be no chance he blew it off or slept too late. As soon as I heard he didn't make it on Saturday morning, I knew there was big trouble,” Seymour told the Canadian Press.Seymour said he became "fast friends" with McLean after the actor attended one of his coaching sessions eight years ago and that McLean had visited him in Los Angeles just last month. "We had the time of our life. It was really a wonderful week, and then I heard this, and it's just, it's so hard to comprehend when something like this happens," he said. “It just doesn't make any sense. He was incredibly situationally aware.”Also Read: Mackenzie Shirilla's chilling texts to boyfriend Dominic Russo before fatal crash: 'I'm gonna kill someone'Seymour described McLean as a "straight arrow" and said he could not understand how anyone could have harmed him. "I bring it up because for the life of me, I don't know how anybody could get the drop on Stew," he told the Canadian Press. He added: "Everybody loved this guy, it wasn't like he was in nefarious activities or, you know, kind of ran with another crowd. I mean, he was a bit of a loner. He spent a lot of time reading and being at his home out there in Squamish." Seymour said the loss had hit him hard. “It's so crushing, and it hits me in ways I'll suddenly think, ah, Stu, and I realize I can't call him now. It's just a shocker. I would love to see justice served.”What happened?McLean was last seen at his home in Lions Bay on May 15, 2026, according to The Independent. A missing person report was filed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Squamish on May 18. Two days later, on May 20, the case was handed over to Canada's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) after investigators found evidence suggesting he may have been killed.Also Read: Mackenzie Shirilla was 'Mean Girl' of prison: Former inmate makes shock claim, slams Netflix's The CrashLions Bay Search and Rescue said in a social media post that search operations began on Wednesday "throughout the Lions Bay area, including Crystal Falls, Tunnel Point, Brunswick Beach, Magnesia Creek, and surrounding drainages." The post added: "During the operation, search teams located suspicious evidence and immediately transferred the investigation back to Squamish RCMP for further investigation."IHIT confirmed McLean's remains were found during the search and that his death is believed to have been a homicide. In a statement to The Independent, Cpl Esther Tupper of IHIT said: “As the investigation continues to unfold, homicide investigators are working to collect and analyze evidence, review CCTV footage and conduct interviews to build a timeline of Mr. McLean's activities prior to May 15, 2026. We are pursuing all available leads as we work to find answers for the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. McLean.”