IHIT announces manslaughter charge in connection with 69-year-old's death at Abbotsford park-and-ride encampment
39-year-old James Jared Yake charged with manslaughter with a firearm in connection with March incident
A 39-year-old man is now charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of 69-year-old Wayne Versfelt of Abbotsford at the Whatcom Road park-and-ride on Highway 1 three months ago.
The location on the north-east corner of the Whatcom interchange has been the site of a large ramshackle encampment of old RVs, trailers, and makeshift shelters.
James Jared Yake faces one count of manslaughter with a firearm
On March 23 after 11 p.m., Abbotsford Police Department (APD) officers responded to a report of a shooting at the encampment.
Police located Versfelt who was injured, transferred to hospital, but later died.
The killing triggered the Lower Mainland’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) to be deployed, officers from which worked with the APD’s major crime unit, the forensic identification service (FIS), and the BC Coroners Services.
From the start IHIT suggested this was an incident involving people known to one another.
One day after the shooting IHIT released Versfelt’s name, age, and description along with a photograph to further the investigation.
“This is a tight-knit community, and we believe there are those with knowledge of the shooting who have yet to speak with police,” IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda Fong said in a statement at the time.
Versfelt was a resident in the encampment.
In an updated statement issued Monday (June 15, 2026), Sgt. Fong, maintained that Yake and Versfelt knew one another.
“Anytime there is gun violence, it can leave residents feeling shaken and concerned for their safety, and it is particularly troubling and impactful when it occurs around the most vulnerable members of our community,” Sgt. Fong said.
“IHIT investigators remained committed to uncovering the truth, and it is our hope that the laying of this charge represents a step toward closure for the victim’s loved ones and the community.”
On June 13, 2026, IHIT investigators arrested 39-year-old James Jared Yake of Abbotsford, and he was subsequently charged with manslaughter with a firearm in relation to the homicide of 69-year-old Wayne Versfelt of Abbotsford.
Three days after Versfelt was killed on March 26, a fire devastated one of the units in the encampment, although no one has suggested the fire is related to the homicide.
Yake is known to police but does not have an extensive criminal record, according to court services online. He does have charges on his record for robbery, assault, and possession for the purpose of trafficking along with several breaches.
Warrants have been issued for his arrest in the Fraser Valley several times in the last decade.
Yake is in custody next due in court on Wednesday scheduled for a bail hearing. A publication ban is in place preventing reporting of details about evidence presented at that bail hearing.
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Paul J. Henderson
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