Ryan Jenkins Dead In Motel Room After Massive Manhunt

(AP) Canadian police say fugitive murder suspect Ryan Jenkins has been found dead of an apparent suicide in a motel in British Columbia.

Sgt. Duncan Pound of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police border integrity unit says police responded to a call about a dead person in Hope, east of Vancouver, and then called investigators who were part of the massive manhunt for Jenkins.

The real estate developer and reality show contestant was wanted in California on first-degree murder charges after the mutilated body of his ex-wife was found near Los Angeles.

Jenkins, 32, disappeared last week but his boat was found Wednesday at a marina not far from the U.S.-Canada border south of Vancouver.

Pound says police don't yet know how long Jenkins was at the motel before his body was discovered.

Jenkins was a contestant on the VH1 reality TV show "Megan Wants a Millionaire." He was charged with murder Thursday. Police said he removed the teeth and fingers of Jasmine Fiore, presumably to impede authorities in their efforts to identify the naked body after it was found stuffed in a suitcase in a California trash bin over the weekend.

The former swimsuit model and Jenkins were briefly married after a quickie Las Vegas wedding this year, and had been fighting in recent months. Prosecutors said the two checked into a San Diego hotel Aug. 13, and Jenkins checked out the next morning. Fiore was not seen alive again.

He reported her missing Saturday night and then vanished after the body was found. Authorities suspect he drove 1,000 miles to Washington state and then hopped in a boat to a peninsula on the border, where he walked into Canadian territory.

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A car and empty boat trailer belonging to the 32-year-old Calgary, Alberta native were found at a marina in the remote northwest Washington town of Blaine Thursday.

Whatcom County Sheriff's deputies received a report Wednesday that a man matching Jenkins' description arrived by boat at Point Roberts, Wash., about 10 miles from Blaine at the tip of a peninsula. The point is reachable by land only from Canada, leading police to expand their search north of the border.

Court records show that Jenkins was charged in June in Clark County, Nev., with a misdemeanor count of "battery constituting domestic violence" for allegedly hitting Fiore in the arm and will be tried in December.

Jenkins also had a criminal history in his hometown of Calgary, Canada. He was sentenced to 15 months of probation in January 2007 on an unspecified assault charge, according to the Alberta, Canada Ministry of Justice. No further details were available.

After taping for the VH1 series finished in early March, Jenkins met 28-year-old Fiore in Las Vegas casino and the two got married on March 18, said Fiore's mother, Lisa Lepore.

But in May, "they had a big blowout," and fought because he was jealous of her ex-boyfriends, Lepore said. "She had the marriage annulled."

Jenkins, variously described as an architect, real estate developer and investment banker from Calgary, appeared in at least three episodes of the series "Megan Wants a Millionaire," about a woman seeking to land a wealthy bachelor by putting suitors through their paces, such as designing a marketing campaign for her pet Chihuahua.

On the show, Jenkins was identified as an investment banker who had a couple million dollars.

A resume posted on the professional networking site LinkedIn.com says Jenkins graduated from Mount Royal College in Calgary in 1999, has a license to fly commercial airplanes and worked in investment sales and as president of a boutique development company focused on cutting-edge green technologies.

Comments

[gachod1]

The really sad part is that this news was first reported by trashy tabloid TMZ.

Fiore's Prison Boyfriend ... and Ex-Husband?
Posted Aug 27th 2009 1:00AM by TMZ Staff
http://www.tmz.com/2009/08/27/fiores-prison-boyfriend-and-ex-husband/

This case is far from open and shut, despite the nice, clean story the police want to go with. Also another reason why the death penalty can never be justified; what if the early conclusion turns out to be wrong and it was the ex-husband or some one he has snitched on taking revenge or another reason completely unrelated that was the cause of her death. As the father notes, the rush to judge and convict, played out by the police in the media, likely led his son to take his own life. Shame on the media, shame on the police and shame on the lot of fools here passing judgement on either of the deceased in this sad case.

[gachod1]

Official statement from Jenkins' father:

Statement given to the Herald by Dan Jenkins
Calgary Herald
August 29, 2009
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Statement+given+Herald+Jenkins/1941458/story.html

She had met up with an ex-husband who had just gotten out of jail four days before she died. That ex-husband happened to be a former drug dealer who apparently only served 3 yrs of an 8yr sentence for snitching on others involved in organised crime. That white Mercedes was his car. He gave it to her before he went to jail. That same ex-husband was re-arrested on parole violations the day she was killed:

Fiore met with ex-husband days before death
Police find slain model's Mercedes in Jenkins case
By Stephane Massinon and Jason van Rassel
Calgary Herald
August 27, 2009
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Fiore+with+husband+days+before+death/1934638/story.html

[Spiriteddona]

sadly, reality or reality tv , he was dangerous!
where are the good guys?

[a game girl23]

Sad thing is, the family of the murdered woman won't have all their questions answered. But it's probably a blessing in disguise. There was the potential that if he had beeen found alive, the Canadian government would have declined his extradition. Afterall, if California has any balls, they would have tried him under the death penalty. That thing was a monster, he needed to be put down one way or the other. Anyone who helped him needs to go to jail. The facts about what he did to her were very much available. Knowing what he did, how could you help him escape?

[peachcat]

Let's assume he was alive when they caught him. If California said they would go for the death penalty, then he would get to stay in Canada and live out his life. So, it's not a question of if California "has any balls." It's really the fact that there would be no legal justice and the family would suffer knowing he's sitting pretty. Talk about not having questions answered. So, what's worth more - saying you will seek the death penalty, knowing that in reality you'll never get a chance to, or scratching the death penalty so he can be extradited, but still be able to make him pay for his crime and gain some closure?

Unfortunately, he took the cowards way out.

[Seán O'Nilbud]

The death penalty is barbaric. Your thirst for gore is exactly the same as the accused. you should be ashamed of yourself for being such a primitive. What is it with americans is it the mercury in the water or the hormones in the food?

[Nina28]

A story of Greed, Shallowness and 2 minute marriages between trophy collectors. Regardless, no body deserves to be killed and dismembered making stupid mistakes.

[Puzes]

Why do all the headlines insist on calling this murderer a "Star" ... at best he was a contestant on reality TV shows. He was definately not a "Star" ...

[AudiGuy]

There is a report that he actually won a VH1 show that will not air. So I guess you can call him a cancelled star?

[daemos1]

Thank you captain scemantic

(dun dun dun dunnnnnnnn­nnnnnnnnnn­nnnnnn)

[lmthp]

This is sadly a common scenario where an emotionally out of control male kills his partner, sometimes her children and any other family members. Too cowardly to face the consequences of his actions, he then sometimes succeeds in killing himself or lies his way out of prosecution.
Women, children and their families are terrorized by these males who by their actions burden the resources and stability of this country. A poster stated that husbands, boyfriends, ex’s and stalkers have killed women in greater numbers than all Al Qaeda has ever killed. Yet the U.S. doesn’t treat this as “domestic terrorism” IMV because it keeps us divided and conquered. Half the populace is controlled via violence (its implicit threat just as effective), and all are kept in check via racial, class divisions. Thus those in power have as usual their work done for them.
I call these domestic terrorists “mini-fascists” with their individual power mad totalitarian states. As “the personal is political” one can see this played out in many dictatorships and theocracies. These “mini-fascists” barely control their own basic bodily impulses yet attempt to control half the world - women. This issue merits the same attention and funding as the so-called ‘War on Terror’ if we ever hope to achieve equal rights for all.
Condolences to Jasmine Fiore, who didn’t deserve such treatment, no one does. This coward, Ryan Jenkins, however deserves to rot in hell.

[Seán O'Nilbud]

Boring

[Terry6202]

I agree with what you said - domestic violence is really domestic terrorism and it is much too prevalent.

[CAMBEL]

You've obviously never seen the show "Snapped". Murder and violence are not as gender specific as you would like to pretend.

[lmthp]

Please excuse if I gave the impression that I think only males are capable of such abominable behavior - I don't. It's just IMV statistics and history show that the preponderance of violence is male to female. Sadly, also that this gender violence is strutural (cultural), systemic, as well as ubiquitious..

One clip from: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/Gwinn_52DaysofDVFluinAmerica.pdf dated 5/3/09:
There have been 12 Mass Killings in the last 52 days in the
United States. In 10 of the 12, the killer had a history of
violence against women. 11 of the 12 were directly related to
or defined as domestic violence. 68 people have been killed in
those mass killings including 20 children and 7 police officers
It is not my intent to pretend to anything, simply expressing a POV.

[Javaline]

I say people should heed the war cry of the sixties - Kill Your Television. That instrument causes more damage to the human psyche than even cocaine. It is a slow and insidious process, where you sit down and become zombielike while your brain soaks in massive amounts of useless misinformation. It eventually turns to jelly, prompting people to watch "reality" shows in order to learn how people are supposed to act. And in the process you are brainwashed into believing that if someone is physically appealing, or rich, then they must be inherently good.

I stumbled on a book at Goodwill years ago called "Children Without Conscience", published in '88 or '89, which did a fantastic job of explaining why there were rising numbers of sociopathic children in the United States. Basically came down to a lack of nurturing and parent/baby bonding during crucial first months after birth. Had nothing to do with social status or physical traits. Seems we are witnessing the end results of just plain bad parenting efforts.

[BannedFromCommenting]

So what caused the problem with Kids? The tv or the lack of nurturing in first few months? Not like babies are watching TV in those first few months. Your argument changes mid stream.

Jeffery Dahmer supposedly had very loving parents. But sometimes something is just there nobody can stop. I dont think every murderer in the world can chalk up their behavior to just bad parenting. There are kids who are raised terribly and still rise above their circumstances. There are too many variables to say EXACTLY what the cause is for pyschopathic behavior.

[Javaline]

Sorry about the abrupt shift - I had to change channels....

[Karl Jonas]

i know i want my sister to go on some "reality" show to find a dashing young husband, so she can end up dead in a suitcase with no fingers and no teeth. ya, works for me. gotta love those "reality" shows.

[Alonso Quijano]

As a longtime resident of Los Angeles, I am incensed by how the media, without any reason, keeps referring to LOS ANGELES over and over in connection with this gruesome murder. The woman was last seen alive in SAN DIEGO (the name of the hotel is never mentioned!) and found dead in BUENA PARK. The most likely scenario is that she was killed in SAN DIEGO. But: Does anyone refer to this as the gruesome SAN DIEGO murder? NO!

This is another egregious example of how "spin" dominates coverage, even when there are no obvious partisan political motivations. You can't depend on the "free press" to give you correct information, when so much more money can be made (or saved) by just repeating hearsay. My suspicion is that the San Diego spin machine (which hates Los Angeles) is at work here, and that the Buena Park based theme park Knotts will spare no effort to suppress the "real" location of the gruesome find of Fiore's body. And those of us who live in Los Angeles are looked down on by others in California as a "high crime" area.

This is a habit of the Press, not an isolated instance. I first noticed it many years ago when Bill Cosby's son was found murdered in "Bel Air" in the first reports, then from the next day, the reported location had shifted to "near a freeway in LOS ANGELES".

[ecotorium]

that's too cute. a person is killed and mutilated, but you want to ensure that LA doesn't get a raw deal. thank you for taking the time out to make sure all that's truly important is properly addressed.

[peachcat]

Did it ever occur to you that no one outside of San Diego or Los Angeles actually knows where Buena Park is located? I'm from California and I've never heard of it. Los Angeles is a reference point for the rest of the country. The same thing happens in Boston, New York, Chicago, and any other big city with a suburb that the rest of America hasn't heard of, and probably will never remember.

I can only reiterate what ecotorium wrote. Clearly, you're a compassionate human being.

[mrljenica]

Oh brother....what would you say if you lived in Washington? Every day the whole country's collapse is blamed on my city, though in reality it is quite nice here and people are pleasant... :)

[SolnzeUSB]

Can we now talk about the underlying problem? The junk we are force-fed.

[faretheewell]

Force fed is not true. You have a choice. We have lived for nearly six years without broadcast TV of any kind. Everytime we think about getting TV service again, we consider the conversations we hear at work about these various "reality" programs and decide that it just isn't worth the money, or the time. Both of my kids are reading 3-4 years above their grade level. We are not continually pestered by them about the most recent "must have" item that advertisers are trying to pawn off on kids.

In short, get rid of your TV. Your intellect will thank you!

[nothingmusic42]

i have a tv. in fact, when i'm around the house it's usually on. i keep it on history, discovery, animal planet, etc....
not all reality tv is so bad. try watching any of the animal cops shows. or the dog whisperer.
history channel is the best. they just started a new show about ancient religions, and shows how a lot of these stories have bled into christian belief.
you are right, it's about choice. i choose to turn the tv to educational channels.
i choose not to turn on any vh1 or mtv....

[sense11]

Well that shows how good the background check people were on that reality show. You would think a man that was sentenced to 15 months probation for assault would not be allowed on a dating show.

[David2]

You presume that they even do a background check as a matter of procedure. He looked good, he fit the financial profile, and I'm sure if they checked his references they would find plenty of people who would say what a great guy he was, and oh, yeah, probation for assault was something he did in the past... he grew up since then.

Money has a way of making people forget certain things.

[sidthekid27]

Exactly. The powers-that-be could care less about these petty details. They're in it to make money, that's all. Nothing new. It's the root of all evil, right? I'm sure they asked him a bunch of questions as a "formality" and that was that.

[EastTraveler]

Why do people kill? Mental instability, rage, hate, jealousy? I cannot comprehend any of that...

[sense11]

Its horrible, they put their selfish needs over a persons right to live. I'm glad this monster is no more.

[Terry6202]

Read "The Sociopath Next Door" - it's by a Harvard professor. Sociopaths have no feelings but they usually don't kill. Why do people kill? Immaturity - stupidity - rage = all uncontrolled impulses. This guy continued the damage after the victim's death which is not a normal reaction to a death (shock). He was a sociopath.

[jaschrod]

I suppose this was the final episode of this program, and was not aired because of some technical difficulties? These shows feeble minded. I do not understand how anyone with any intelligence what so ever, can watch this junk.

[peachcat]

The show started at the beginning of August, they pulled it from the air once Jasmine Fiore was found, and likely will not re-air it.

[truthartbeauty]

being gay I am not moral enough to marry like you straight people are. you are so special.

[fya]

Morality is not connected to sexual preference. At least I don't believe there's a link. And being heterosexual doesn't make you better than anyone.

[DenveRockwell]

I think that was what's known as "sarcasm" in various corners of our society.

[rektruax]

I'm pretty sure he/she was just being sarcastic...

[Karl Jonas]

ditto, and right on my brother or sister!

[topkatnc]

Not all people think that way.....I know that I don't and would not want to be around anyone who does...

[faretheewell]

Think you might be preaching to the wrong crowd. I would suspect that the fast majority of Huffpost visitors support gay marriage, regardless of their being straight or gay.

[Eris23Skidoo]

Are you trying to say that the majority of Huffposters are fast?

[AlaskanWannaB]

i support gay unions, where a gay couple is afforded the same benefits as heterosexual couples. I do not support gay marriage.

[kathy001]

Please don't lump all heteros together. We aren't all bigoted. I'm very sorry that you have to deal with the bigots and I know it makes you bitter. But you do have supporters. Lots of us.

[topkatnc]

Thank you !!!!

[Bliss149]

Yep...my spouse and I both support your right to get married and be just as miserable as we are. haha.