A friend of Stewart McLean said he realised something was ‘seriously wrong’ when the Netflix star did not show up for a filming commitment in the days before he was found dead.
The 45-year-old Canadian actor, who appeared in shows including Virgin River, Arrow and Supernatural, was discovered on Friday, after he had been missing for a week.
He was last seen at his home in a small residential community in British Columbia, outside Vancouver, and was reported missing three days later.
The police have since confirmed that a murder investigation has been launched into his death.
Los Angeles-based acting coach Jeff Seymour has paid tribute to his friend McLean and described him as a ‘straight arrow’.
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Seymour told The Canadian Press that McLean had missed a scheduled filming job shortly before he was reported missing, adding: ‘He was meticulous about everything. There would be no chance he just blew something off or overslept. As soon as I heard he didn’t make it, I knew there was big trouble.’
He went on to say that it is ‘so hard to comprehend when something like this happens’.
‘It just doesn’t make any sense. He was incredibly situationally aware,’ Seymour continued. ‘For the life of me, I don’t know how anybody could get the drop on Stewart.’
He recalled how the pair met eight years ago at one of his coaching sessions and went on to become ‘fast friends’, with the late actor last visiting him in California in April.
He concluded: ‘Everybody loved this guy, it wasn’t like he was in nefarious activities or, you know, kind of ran with another crowd.
‘He was a bit of a loner. He spent a lot of time reading and being at his home out there in Squamish. It’s just a shocker. I would love to see justice served.’
McLean’s representatives at the Vancouver-based Lucas Talent Inc. paid tribute to the actor in a Facebook post, with agent Jodi Caplan writing that she had worked with the actor for over a decade.
‘He was always such a pleasure to deal with – dedicated, professional, eager, and endlessly funny!’ she said.
‘Many casting directors have reached out to share their condolences with Stew’s family and with our agency, and every message says the same thing: what a truly great guy he was, and how deeply he will be missed.’
Canada’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is working to collect evidence, review CCTV footage and conduct interviews to build a timeline of McLean’s final moments.
‘We are pursuing all available leads as we work to find answers for the family, friends and loved ones of Mr McLean,’ IHIT said in a statement.
His disappearance is believed to be an ‘isolated incident’.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation into his death to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp–grc.gc.ca.
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