Police are staying mum on the death of a drug suspect who was wanted on warrants after missing a court date.
Shawn Bodnaruk, 26, was arrested by Red Deer City RCMP during a drug investigation in late February 2012.
Police allege finding just over four kg of psilocybin or magic mushrooms after pulling Bodnaruk’s car over for a traffic infraction on Feb. 25.
Subsequent investigations led them to a suite in Red Deer apartment building where they say they found a similar quantity of marijuana.
Also charged as a result of the investigation was Steven Dylan Senetza, 27, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2012, to possession of marijuana for trafficking.
Senetza was sentenced early in September to 20 months on the drug trafficking charge.
Bodnaruk, a resident of Kindersley, Sask., was supposed to go to trial in Red Deer on June 24.
However, the proceedings were abruptly cancelled when he parted company with his lawyer, Will Willms.
A warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to attend court on July 18 to set a new trial date.
Cpl. Leanne Molzahn, media liaison officer for the Red Deer City RCMP, confirmed on Thursday that Bodnaruk had died “within the past few weeks.”
But Molzahn would not reveal when, where or how he died.