Man pleads guilty in connection with murder of Belgian tourist in BC

A 27-year-old BC man charged with the first-degree murder of a 28-year-old Belgian hitchhiker, Amelie Christelle Sakkalis in 2018, has now pleaded guilty in the case.

Sean McKenzie entered a plea of guilty to 2nd-degree murder in connection with the death of Sakkalis, whose body was found on August 22, 2018, around 7:45 pm near Highway 1, north of Boston Bar.

The case began on August 22, 2018, when RCMP received a report of a “suspicious occurrence” around 7:45 pm.

Police arrived to find the body of Sakkalis and determined she was the victim of a homicide.

See also:

• BC man charged with murder of 28-year-old Belgian tourist
• 28-year-old Belgian tourist found murdered near Fraser Canyon community
• Man arrested after falling asleep on bag of allegedly stolen goods in Horseshoe Bay

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called to take over the case, who have since partnered with the Hope RCMP, the Chilliwack RCMP Serious Crime Unit, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services, and the BC Coroners Service to gather evidence.

On September 1, 2018, IHIT and its partner agencies arrested 27-year-old Sean McKenzie of Oliver, BC.

According to police, Sakkalis was a Belgian national travelling in Canada at the time of her death and investigators believe she was hitchhiking from the Penticton area on August 22, 2018, and heading to Vancouver.

McKenzie is scheduled to be sentenced in court on November 19.