Friends of ‘Virgin River’ actor Stewart MacLean have revealed they knew something was very wrong ahead of MacLean’s disturbing death.
MacLean was found dead on Friday and is believed to be the victim of a murder after going missing earlier this week.
MacLean’s friend, actor Jeff Seymour, said the weekend leading up to her death, MacLean’s failure to show up for a scheduled filming date was a major red flag.
“He was very careful about everything, so there was no chance of him blowing it or sleeping too much,” Seymour told The Canadian Press. “As soon as we heard he couldn’t arrive on Saturday morning, we knew there was a big problem.”
Seymour has been friends with MacLean for eight years and just met him in Los Angeles last month.
“It makes absolutely no sense,” he said of the murder charge. “He had incredible situational awareness.”
“I bring this up because for the life of me I don’t know how you can criticize Stew,” he added.
Seymour described MacLean as a “straight arrow.”
“Everyone loved this man. He wasn’t doing any nefarious activities or running with other crowds,” he said. “So he was a bit of a loner. He spent a lot of time reading books and spending a lot of time at his home in Squamish.”
In a Facebook post Friday, Seymour called his late friend a “lovely” and “thoughtful” actor and recalled a recent visit with his friend.
“The day before he returned to Vancouver, Stew sang songs from the ’60s and ’70s as a few of us drove along Mulholland Drive and took in the scenery,” he wrote. “He seemed to know all the lyrics. I’ll miss you so much, my friend. You were a good egg. I’m grateful to have you in my life.”
Ms McLean, 45, was first reported missing on May 18 after being last seen at her home in Lions Bay on May 15.
In a press release obtained by Page Six, the Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police said: “We have begun an investigation and through our investigative efforts, we have uncovered evidence that leads investigators to believe that Mr. MacLean is the victim of a homicide.”
Police did not provide details about the evidence found, but said the actor’s body was in the Lions Bay area.
A spokesperson for the actor, who appeared on Netflix’s Virgin River as well as Fox’s Small Town Murders and The CW’s DC series Arrow, told Page Six in a statement: “We are shocked to hear of Stew MacLean’s passing. We were proud to represent Stew for over a decade and he was a respected and admired member of Vancouver’s film and television community.”
“His kindness and humor will always be remembered. Our hearts go out to his family and all who knew and loved him during this very difficult time.”
