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Abbotsford couple’s killings are ‘shocking and unsettling,’ says mayor

Henry Braun says he knew Arnie and Joanne De Jong for more than 40 years
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Investigators were on the scene Monday night (May 9) at a house on Arcadian Way in Abbotsford where the bodies of Arnie and Joanne De Jong were discovered earlier in the day. (John Morrow/Abbotsford News)

Mayor Henry Braun expressed public condolences on Friday morning (May 13) to the family of the couple who was killed in their home earlier this week.

Braun, speaking at the annual Mayor’s Breakfast at Tradex, said he and his wife, Velma, knew Arnie and Joanne De Jong for more than 40 years and their death is “shocking and unsettling.”

He said he heard about the deaths earlier on Monday (May 9) but wasn’t aware the victims were the De Jongs until he saw their home on the evening news.

“On Monday, our community suffered a tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the De Jong family at this time and our most sincere condolences go to them and their loved ones,” Braun said.

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“As a community, we are concerned with this unexpected tragedy and uncertainty that follows an investigation like this.”

The Abbotsford Police Department responded on Monday morning to a call that the De Jongs had been found dead in their home in the 33600 block of Arcadian Way.

The deaths were deemed suspicious, and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called to Abbotsford.

IHIT is continuing to investigate and said Wednesday (May 11) that they were still trying to determine if the deaths were targeted or random.

During a question-and-answer session later following Braun’s speech at the Mayor’s Breakfast, he was asked if the city is safe.

“Yes. I think we have one of the best police forces in B.C. if not Canada … and they are doing everything in their power, as I’m confident IHIT is doing, to solve this,” he said.



vhopes@abbynews.com

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Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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