Boy, 15, accused of murdering owner-breeder

A Vancouver-area teenager has been arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of owner-breeder Colleen Findlay.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, is from Maple Ridge where Findlay, 39, lived with her husband Jim, a prominent local dentist, and her three children.

Police say they found the boy, along with five other persons, in a truck stolen from the Findlay home. Five of the six are juveniles.

The accused, police say, was smoking a cigar believed to have been stolen from the crime scene.

Firefighters were called to the Findlay home on Tuesday (Nov. 12) to douse a blaze. They discovered the body and a subsequent police investigation deemed the fire suspicious. The Findlay family vehicle was found that evening in Maple Ridge with six persons, including the accused, inside.

Findlay and her husband recently celebrated a Breeders Classic win when their filly Holy Doodle, one of 24 Findlay horses under the care of trainer Larry Micallef, scored a win in the $104,000 season championship for three-year-olds.

The Findlays, including their children Shayne, Shannon and Ross, were a regular group at the track to watch their horses race.

Tim Larsen, executive director of the BC Standardbred Association, said the loss of Colleen has left the backstretch community "sad and confused."

"It is very much like a small town here," said Larsen.

Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and have not ruled out further arrests and charges.

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