Virgin River Actor Stewart McLean Found Dead One Week After Going Missing - And Cops Think He May Have Been Murdered!

Stewart McLean, a 45-year-old actor best known for his work as Barfly on the show Virgin River, has been found dead one week after going missing — and cops suspect foul play might be involved.

According to Canada’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), the Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a missing person report regarding Stewart on Monday after he had not been seen since Friday, May 15. He was reportedly last seen that day at his home in Lions Bay, British Columbia, Canada. At the time, law enforcement said they were “very concerned for Stewart’s health and well-being.”

And by Thursday, police made a startling announcement. Although this began as a missing persons case, the RCMP told the public that the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took over the search for Stewart, and they now believe he may have been a victim of a homicide. Oh no. A press release said:

“On May 20, IHIT 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. Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was victim of homicide.”

IHIT Cpl. Esther Tupper added in a press statement, per People:

“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. We are pursuing all available leads as we work to find answers for the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. McLean.”

Police also stressed that Stewart’s disappearance is most likely “an isolated incident.” There are currently no details on whether they have any suspects in the case or theories about what happened to him at this time. However, IHIT revealed in a media release shared with People on Friday night that they found Stewart’s remains in the Lions Bay area.

Heartbreaking…

No further information about the discovery has been released. His agency, Lucas Talent Inc., also confirmed Stewart’s death in an emotional post on Facebook, written by agent Jodi Caplan. It read:

“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved client, Stew McLean. I was fortunate to have worked with Stew for more than 10 years. He was always such a pleasure to deal with – dedicated, professional, eager, and endlessly funny! Many casting directors have reached out to share their condolences with Stew’s family and with our agency, and every message says the same thing: what a truly great guy he was, and how deeply he will be missed. Rest in peace, Stew. xo”

Police are asking anyone with information about Stewart’s disappearance or the investigation to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp–grc.gc.ca. Hopefully, law enforcement can get to the bottom of what happened to him soon. What are your reactions to the case, Perezcious readers? Tell us in the comments (below).

[Image via Royal Canadian Mounted Police , Virgin River/Netflix]