VANCOUVER Police on Friday confirmed that the body found in a parked vehicle on Fairmont Street near Vanness Avenue in East Vancouver on Thursday afternoon is that of Sachdeep Dhoot, 18, who was last seen in the Newton area of Surrey on January 9.

Police were called to the area just after 3 p.m. on January 18 to investigate the discovery of a stolen vehicle. Officers found Dhoot’s body in the trunk of the vehicle.

Police said that based on the information collected so far, this does not appear to be a random murder.

This is Vancouver’s third homicide of 2018.

Surrey RCMP had earlier this week updated their missing person press release by stating that Dhoot was associated to a 4-door blue 2004 Pontiac Sunfire had license plate FE9-84R (see attached stock photo).

Surrey Crime Prevention Society on Friday tweeted: “We are saddened to learn about this tragic death. He was part of one of our programs in 2016. Our condolences to his family!”

Dhoot was described as a South Asian male, 5’9”, 115 lbs., black short hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about this murder is asked contact investigators at 604-717-2500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.