Handicapped, homeless man in wheelchair murdered in Vancouver

Panhandler Kevin Lazar told Vancouverite he saw victim a few hours before his death near the 7-Eleven store on Kingsway near Joyce

VANCOUVER – Michael Ciro Nestoruk – the name is unlikely to ring any bells with most residents of Vancouver.

He was only 41. He had only one leg. He was in a wheel-chair.

He was also homeless. And someone murdered him.

Nestoruk’s  body was found on the grounds outside Sir Guy Carleton Elementary school near Kingsway and Joyce at around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday.

The body was first seen by parents dropping off their children to school – and also by the kids.

A panhandler who identified himself as Kevin Lazar said Nestoruk was a friend of his. Lazar told Vancouverite he last saw Nestoruk alive at around 4:30 a.m. Thursday outside the 7-Eleven store at Joyce and Kingsway, directly opposite the place where the body was found in the school grounds.

“He had checked into a hotel near here the night before,” he said. “I was with him and then went away and when I came back an hour later I saw police tape there.”

Lazar, who is a regular outside the 7-Eleven store, said he’d known Nestoruk for about two years but had not seen him in the area until Wednesday night.

Lazar’s comments could not be verified and it was not immediately clear if Vancouver police had obtained surveillance video from the convenience store to verify if Nestoruk was present in the area of the store prior to his death.

He officially became murder victim 13 for Vancouver for this year.

Vancouver police spokesman Const. Lindsey Houghton said police major crime squad is investigating.

“The body of Michael Ciro Nestoruk, a 41 year old homeless man, was found on the grounds of Sir Guy Carleton Elementary School in the 3200 block of Kingsway on April 9^,” said.

“Mr. Nestoruk was in a wheelchair and only had one leg,” he added.

“Anyone who saw a man in wheelchair in the area between midnight and 6:00 a.m. on April 9 is asked to call investigators at 604-717-2500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.”

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