A contingent of motorcyclists hit the pavement Saturday morning on a benefit ride to honor the legacy of a Penticton, BC man, shot and killed in Kamloops in 2019.
Rex Edward Gill, 41, was standing outside the Comfort Inn & Suites hotel on the morning of January 23, 2019, when he was shot while smoking.
Gill hails from Penticton and had recently been fired from the oil patch in northern Alberta. I was in Kamloops doing a siding job for a friend.
The Kamloops RCMP said Gill may have been the victim of an identity mistake. No arrests have been made.
Read more:
‘My heart breaks every day’: murder victim Kamloops’ mother questions delay in justice
Gill was a motorcycle enthusiast, father of two, and a charitable man who donated to the city’s most vulnerable.
His mother, Marie Nobles, has organized the memorial motorcycle ride every year since Gill’s death. The journey begins in Penticton and ends in Kelowna as the sea of motorcycles travels down Highway 97.
“I’ve been crying and riding because every time I looked in the mirror, all I could see were bicycles,” Nobles told Global News.
He added that the event continues to raise awareness about Gill’s murder and hopes for a break in the case.
“This is to keep him alive and keep him out there so that maybe the guy who killed him, maybe they can get him off the streets,” Nobles said.
“We just have to keep it in the headlines.”
The trip also functions as a charity event.
Participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable food to the Penticton and Kelowna food banks and make a monetary donation to Kelowna Gospel Mission.
Read more:
‘I lost my baby’: British Columbia family man shot to death in case of wrong identity speaks out
“It is very important to keep the memory alive and help the less fortunate,” said Art Gill, Rex’s brother.
Art also wants to see justice for his brother.
“I haven’t heard anything, they aren’t doing anything, and I just want to know why. Why don’t they talk to us and let us know what’s going on? “, Said.
“If anyone has any information, contact the police. There is no lockdown until someone is arrested and someone is in jail for this. “
Rex Gill’s third annual memorial ride passed the Kelowna mission and concluded at Konquer Custom Rides & Rods, where there was a barbecue, silent auction, and check presentation.
“Rex’s mom, Marie, is honoring her son’s legacy of giving back to those in need in a beautiful way,” said Sonja Menyes, development officer for the Kelowna Gospel Mission.
Read more:
Condolences reach out to Penticton man shot to death in Kamloops
“Although Marie is in a lot of pain, she is determined to get on her bike and ride all the way with Rex’s friends and other motorcyclists. It’s great to see all the motorcycles in front of our emergency shelter. It means a lot to our residents and it is exciting to see so many bikes together. “
Gill’s murder occurred two hours after Cody Mathieu, 31, was shot and killed outside the Super 8 motel in the Valleyview neighborhood of Kamloops.
Mathieu was known to the police, who say he had ties to the city’s drug trade. Police said they did not know Gill.
“Investigations into the murders of Cody Mathieu and Rex Gill continue to be a priority for the Kamloops Task Force Serious Crimes Unit, and investigators work on these files almost daily,” said Sgt. Nestor Baird.
“Homicide investigations by nature are complex and no two files have the same timeline for completion. While there have been no arrests to date, investigators are confident that with the progress that continues to be made, these files will be successfully concluded in the future. “
The memorial trip also honors the life of Rex’s friend, Mike Courtney, who traveled on the 2020 trip and was killed in an accident two blocks from his home on the way back.
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Reference-globalnews.ca