What began as a desperate search for missing TV actor Stewart McLean has now become something far more chilling.

Canadian authorities say the case involving the 45-year-old actor, whose credits include Virgin River, Arrow and Travelers, is now being treated as a homicide investigation after police uncovered evidence suggesting he may have been killed.

McLean was reported missing on May 18 after last being seen three days earlier, on May 15, at his home in Lions Bay, a small community in British Columbia’s scenic Sea-to-Sky region.

At first, the case was handled as a missing person investigation. Search crews began looking for McLean, and police asked the public for help finding him.

But within days, the tone of the investigation changed dramatically.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced on May 21 that investigators had found evidence leading them to believe McLean was “the victim of a homicide.”

“Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide,” authorities said in a statement.

The case has now been handed over to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, known as IHIT, which handles major murder investigations in parts of British Columbia.

Police said IHIT took control of the case on May 20, while Squamish RCMP continues working with homicide investigators and forensic teams.

The sudden escalation has left the entertainment world stunned.

McLean was based near Vancouver, a major hub for film and television production, and had built a steady career appearing in several recognizable shows and TV movies.

He appeared in season 7 of Netflix’s hit drama Virgin River, as well as the Fox crime series Murder in a Small Town and the Paramount+ true crime series Happy Face.

He also had roles in the Lifetime movie The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story, The CW’s Arrow, Netflix’s Travelers and the Freeform series Beyond.

Lions Bay Search and Rescue initially led the search for McLean after he vanished, but the investigation has since shifted from a search effort to a murder probe.

Authorities have not released details about the evidence they found, and no suspect has been publicly named.

For now, police are asking anyone with information about McLean’s disappearance or final movements to come forward as investigators try to piece together what happened in the days before the actor vanished.

A case that started with hope of finding a missing man alive has now become a grim mystery surrounding a working actor whose disappearance appears to have ended in tragedy.