Actor Stewart McLean, known for small roles in hit shows including Virgin River, The Irrational, Happy Face, and Arrow, has been found dead after a sudden and disturbing disappearance that has now turned into a homicide investigation.

McLean was 45.

Authorities in British Columbia confirmed the actor’s remains were discovered in the Lions Bay area, a quiet coastal community located about 12 miles northwest of Vancouver.

The grim discovery came just one week after McLean was last seen alive.

Police say McLean was last seen at his home in Lions Bay on May 15. Three days later, on May 18, he was reported missing.

By May 19, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were asking the public for help finding him, saying officers were “very concerned” for his health and well-being.

But the missing-person case quickly took a darker turn.

On May 21, Squamish RCMP announced that investigators had uncovered evidence suggesting McLean had been the victim of homicide.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, known as IHIT, was brought in to take over the case. Squamish RCMP and forensic investigators also continued working the investigation as police searched for answers.

Authorities have not revealed what evidence led them to believe McLean was killed.

They have also not announced any suspects or motive.

In a statement released after McLean was found dead, IHIT Corporal Esther Tupper said homicide investigators were still working to piece together the actor’s final known movements.

“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,” Tupper said.

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

The news has stunned those who knew McLean, especially in the tight-knit Lions Bay community.

Neighbors told CBC they could not imagine anyone wanting to hurt him.

Russ Meiklejohn said the idea of McLean being targeted was difficult to understand. His wife, Dorothy, remembered McLean as warm, friendly, and deeply connected to the people around him.

“That’s just so hard to think that he’s, like, gone,” she said. “Because he was part of this network, this community, as tiny as it is, he was a big part of it.”

McLean’s talent agency, Lucas Talent Inc., also shared its heartbreak after his death was confirmed.

Talent agent Jodi Caplan said she had worked with McLean for more than a decade and remembered him as a dedicated professional with a great sense of humor.

“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved client, Stew McLean,” Caplan wrote in a Facebook statement.

“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.”

Caplan said casting directors had reached out with condolences and remembered McLean the same way: as “a truly great guy” who would be deeply missed.

McLean’s friend and acting coach Jeff Seymour said he sensed something was wrong before the public knew the actor was missing.

According to Seymour, McLean failed to show up for a scheduled day of filming, which immediately raised alarm bells.

“He was meticulous about everything, and there would be no chance he blew it off or slept too late,” Seymour told The Canadian Press. “As soon as I heard he didn’t make it on Saturday morning, I knew there was big trouble.”

Seymour described McLean as a “straight arrow” and said his death was nearly impossible to process.

“It just doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “He was incredibly situationally aware.”

He added that he hopes investigators are able to bring justice.

“I would love to see justice served,” Seymour said.

McLean’s death remains under active investigation.

As of press time, investigators had not named any suspects, announced any arrests, or revealed a possible motive in the case.