Human remains identified as missing West Kelowna senior

WEST KELOWNA – Kelowna RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service have confirmed remains found Sunday morning are that of Lawrence Hamilton who went missing March 24.

Hamilton’s body was discovered early Sunday morning near Smith Creek Road by someone who called police, Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey said in a press release.

The disappearance of the 72-year-old who was known to walk long distances sparked an extensive search effort by volunteers from Central Okanagan Search and Rescue.

The search covered a large area and went on for a week but was unsuccessful.


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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca