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A close friend of Stewart McLean — the “Virgin River” actor who was found dead days after he had been reported missing — knew something was terribly wrong the morning of the actor’s disappearance.
In a new interview with The Canadian Press, Jeff Seymour — an acting coach — opened up about that gut feeling he had after McLean didn’t show up for a day of filming.
“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 outlet.
‘VIRGIN RIVER’ ACTOR STEWART MCLEAN’S DISAPPEARANCE NOW A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, POLICE SAY
Stewart McLean’s missing persons investigation has turned into a homicide investigation, according to police. (Lions Bay Search and Rescue/Facebook)
“It just doesn’t make any sense. He was incredibly situationally aware,” he added. “I bring it up because for the life of me, I don’t know how anybody could get the drop on [Stewart].”
Seymour, who had been friends with McLean for eight years, said his friend was loved by many and had no bad blood with anyone.
“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 told the outlet. “He spent a lot of time reading and being at his home out there in Squamish.”
“It’s just a shocker,” he continued. “I would love to see justice served.”
On May 18, McLean was reported missing and the Squamish RCMP launched a missing persons investigation the following day. According to the press release, McLean, 45, was last seen at his home in Lions Bay on May 15.
Rossif Sutherland and Stew McLean in “Murder In A Small Town.” (Kailey Schwerman / ©Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection)
The Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in British Columbia issued a press release on Thursday saying investigators found evidence that led them to believe that McLean was the victim of a homicide.
“Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide,” the press release stated.
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The statement continued, “On May 20, IHIT (Integrated Homicide Investigation Team) deployed and assumed conduct of the investigation. Squamish RCMP continues to work closely with IHIT and the Integrated Forensic Identification Service (IFIS) to advance the investigation.”
On Friday, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team shared a statement with CBC News, stating that McLean’s remains were found and identified.
Stew McLean as Hank Riddle in “The Irrational.” (Sergei Bachlakov/NBC via Getty Images)
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“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,” the outlet reported.
McLean has appeared in popular series including Netflix’s “Virgin River,” “Arrow,” “Happy Face,” and “Murder in a Small Town.”
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In addition to acting, McLean has worked behind the scenes as a producer on projects such as “Travelers” and “Beyond.” His career has spanned both dramatic and action-oriented roles, earning him recognition within the Canadian entertainment industry.
Digital’s Janelle Ash contributed to this post.
