Found Deceased CANADA - Ben Kilmer, 41, Cowichan, 16 May 2018

[steelybird]

Any updates on Ben’s cause of death/coroner’s report?

 

[CherryKitty]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed> I think there are definitely a lot of different rumours and certainly plenty of speculation going on. I definitely respect the family's right to privacy, especially as they mourn and heal, but it's hard on the public too when we've been invested since Day 1, many of us local to the area as well.

 

[Dushi]

Very sad

My sympathy to his family

 

[Policescannr]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>It is so so strange. Dan and Ryan you can basically put the pieces together with what happened to them, but bens case is so strange. It truly is indicative of mental disorder or acting out of extreme fear from some threat. So many questions remain.

 

[steelybird]

I wonder if they will be able to determine when he died. Like did he die the day he went missing, shortly after, or more recently. Is it possible he was being held for some time or was in hiding prior to his death? I just find it weird that if he was <modsnip: rumor> on a riverbank for several months—especially during the summer—how he wasn’t spotted earlier or how wildlife didn’t get at him.

 

[DrWhere]

One year after tragedy, Tonya Kilmer reflects on her life with Ben

https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.c...tKK1VKvRYzdtw4EmT-bh0njlFHC0adHLyMVCBVSsEQ_JE

 

[Timekeeper65]

One year after tragedy, Tonya Kilmer reflects on her life with Ben

https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.c...tKK1VKvRYzdtw4EmT-bh0njlFHC0adHLyMVCBVSsEQ_JE

@DrWhere thank you. An amazing read.

 

[viccity]

One year after tragedy, Tonya Kilmer reflects on her life with Ben

https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.c...tKK1VKvRYzdtw4EmT-bh0njlFHC0adHLyMVCBVSsEQ_JE

Thanks for sharing. A sad story.

 

[DrWhere]

@DrWhere thank you. An amazing read.

You are welcome. It is a sad story. It looks like Ben's dream house killed the guy (too much stress -> anxiety -> insomnia). Numerous studies have verified that insomnia is associated with suicide attempts, and death by suicide. One study showed that among patients aged 25–44 years, suicide risk in insomnia patients was about 6-fold that of patients without insomnia.

RIP Ben.

 

[Miranda]

Kilmer has turned to friends, politicians and social media in an attempt to block the release. She’s asking people to send an email to the chief coroner requesting that how Ben took his life not be disclosed to the public “given that the visual of how he took his life is not an image you want anyone in your family to be left with.”

https://www.pqbnews.com/news/vancou...vzetZIxQUtxXfdsuijSB2E8E6ZH_2RD4fWZSp9Z-KPKIQ

 

[Detectivediva]

Kilmer has turned to friends, politicians and social media in an attempt to block the release. She’s asking people to send an email to the chief coroner requesting that how Ben took his life not be disclosed to the public “given that the visual of how he took his life is not an image you want anyone in your family to be left with.”

https://www.pqbnews.com/news/vancou...vzetZIxQUtxXfdsuijSB2E8E6ZH_2RD4fWZSp9Z-KPKIQ

<modsnip: removed rumor stated as fact>

IMHO with this statement...people may speculate worse (perhaps a ritualistic suicide of sorts?). The truth will hurt but from what I've read...at the right age children need to know the truth. Blocking reports isn't in anyone's best interest.

 

[tarabull]

https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/va...fighting-to-block-release-of-coroners-report/

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Cause of death confirmed to be suicide.

https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/coroners-report-confirms-suicide-in-ben-kilmer-case/

 

[grannygates]

i lived in this town during this search and drove by his billboards every day and i’m glad that they’ve reported suicide and not anything more per family wishes as there are dozens of missing men from our area and people have been very concerned about a serial killer.

 

[Breamworthy]

News agencies initially agreed not to release details, but then some changed their minds and it's out there now, however you feel about it.

Coroner confirms man who went missing for 5 months took his own life

Honestly, the only thing that's at all unexpected is "An encampment near where the body was found indicates he had been in the area for some time before his death."

 

[deugirtni]

News agencies initially agreed not to release details, but then some changed their minds and it's out there now, however you feel about it.

Coroner confirms man who went missing for 5 months took his own life

Honestly, the only thing that's at all unexpected is "An encampment near where the body was found indicates he had been in the area for some time before his death."

That is heartbreaking. Must just kill his wife to know that (and his kids, when they eventually know).

"A encampment near where the body was found indicates he had been in the area for some time before his death."

 

[Breamworthy]

I'm guessing that's the detail she was fighting to have withheld. They are clearly withholding some information about it though, since they make no indication of whether they are talking about days/weeks/months.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

I wonder how long Ben was camped out before he died. He must have had supplies with him but I thought he had parked his van some distance from where he was found. If so it would be somewhat difficult to carry those items to his camp. Just wondering about the process he went thru....

I wonder what was happening in his mind during that time. Was he staying there for a while to get up the courage to end his life, or was he determined to die and did he need some quiet time alone first? I seem to remember he was found in a sleeping bag but not for sure.

Sad....I hope Ben is at peace now.

 

[FactFinder3000]

It is being reported that it was suicide, he died by asphyxiation, and that he had been in the remote area for some time before his death.

There is a great deal of controversy over the coroner releasing this info, given that his wife tried to block the release. She thinks the information is going to traumatize her children by giving them a disturbing image. Is there more in the report that has not yet been reported? Because it's not very specific.

On the other hand, did we really need to know it was via asphyxiation? I guess on that point I'll side with Ben's wife.

 

[FactFinder3000]

I'm guessing that's the detail she was fighting to have withheld. They are clearly withholding some information about it though, since they make no indication of whether they are talking about days/weeks/months.

I think it was the detail of asphyxiation. Let's face it, that does provide a disturbing image, because there is one very likely way that was accomplished, even if it's not the way it happened.