Three men charged in 2022 killing of homeless man in Castlegar

Three men have now been charged in connection with a 2022 homicide in Castlegar, nearly four years after the death of 51-year-old Jean-Luc Noel Levesque.

RCMP say the accused were arrested Friday following a lengthy investigation that spanned multiple communities in British Columbia.

Jesse Pierre Farmery has been charged with second-degree murder, while Wesley Ryan Poohachoff and Christopher John Teather have each been charged with manslaughter.

Police say the arrests were made in communities ranging from Castlegar and Nelson to Vancouver.

Charges come nearly four years after death

The case dates back to Aug. 11, 2022, when Levesque was found unresponsive near a CIBC branch on Columbia Avenue in Castlegar.

At the time, RCMP said he was living unhoused and was not considered a long-time resident of the city.

In announcing the charges, Castlegar RCMP said the case had remained a matter of significant concern within the community.

Sgt. Monty Taylor, detachment commander for Castlegar RCMP, said investigators recognized the lasting impact the case has had on Levesque’s loved ones and the broader public.

A recent move in search of a better life

According to a longtime friend, Levesque had only moved to Castlegar a few weeks before his death.

Helen Luksova, who said she had known him for more than 20 years, described him as someone who was deeply connected to her family and community.

She said Levesque was especially close to her two older children, who knew him as “Uncle Jelly.”

Luksova said he had been living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside before relocating to Castlegar in the summer of 2022.

She said he wanted to leave behind an environment marked by substance use and mental health struggles and hoped to build a better life in a new place.

Friend says loss has affected many families

Reacting to the arrests, Luksova said the case remains heartbreaking for everyone touched by it.

She said the impact extends far beyond one victim, affecting not only Levesque’s loved ones but also the families of the accused.

Her comments underscored the wider human toll of the case, which has lingered in the community since Levesque’s death.

For those who knew him, the charges mark a major development in a case that has carried grief and unanswered questions for nearly four years.