Murdered Virgin River actor’s final text revealed amid hunt for killer

45-year-old Canadian actor Stewart McLean was reported missing May 18, and his remains were discovered May 22

Still of Stewart McLean on Netflix's Virgin River

tewart McLean’s last moments, as well as a final text, have been revealed amid the hunt for his murderer.

The 45-year-old actor, who recently appeared on Virgin River, had been missing for a week after he was last seen on Friday May 15, 2026 at his residence in Lions Bay, a coastal community located northwest of Vancouver, when his remains were found.

He was reported missing May 18. Evidence has since led authorities to conclude that he was the victim of a homicide, though the case is still unfolding.

An image shared by Lion's Bay Search and Rescue© Facebook/Lion’s Bay Search and Rescue
An image of Stewart shared by Lion’s Bay Search and Rescue

In the midst of the investigation, Stewart’s close friend Jeff Seymour has given insight into his final moments in a new interview with The Daily Mail, revealing that Stewart’s last text was sent to his agent about an upcoming work shoot he had on the evening of May 15.

“He had a very normal day from what I understood,” Jeff, who is an acting coach, said. “He had a four-hour drive home and he left at around seven. He arrived home that night, [his] car [was] in the driveway.”

“The last communication came from his phone that evening, and then everything just went dark,” he added, noting that he failed to turn up to his scheduled day of filming on May 16.

The actor had a part in Netflix' Virgin River© Courtesy of Netflix
The actor had a part in Netflix’s Virgin River

Stewart’s agent then reached out to Jeff, informing him of their final text conversation. “He had confirmed he would be there the next day [on] Friday when he was last heard from,” he said.

Jeff further shared: “When I heard that he didn’t show up for that, I knew we were in serious trouble. Because, show business, you know, the show must go on, it is unheard of for an actor not to show up.”

Stewart’s remains were found on Friday, May 22, in the Lions Bay area, Canada’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced in a press release.

“As the investigation continues to unfold, homicide investigators are working to collect and analyze evidence, review CCTV footage and conduct interviews to build a timeline of Mr. McLean’s activities prior to May 15, 2026,” Cpl. Esther Tupper of IHIT said in a statement. “We are pursuing all available leads as we work to find answers for the family, friends and loved ones of Mr. McLean.”

The Lions Bay area, where the actor's remains are believed to have been found© Getty Images
The Lions Bay area, where the Stewart’s remains are believed to have been found

Most recently, Stewart appeared in a 2026 episode of season seven of Virgin River, where he played a barfly on the hit Netflix drama. He also appeared in the Canadian series Murder in a Small Town, the Paramount+ drama Happy Face, and the CW superhero series Arrow,  plus he also worked as a producer.

Jodi Caplan, his agent at Lucas Talent, said the agency was devastated by the loss. “We have been proud to represent Stew for over a decade, and he was a well respected and admired member of the film and television community in Vancouver,” the statement read. “He will always be remembered for his kindness and humor.”

CRE: https://www.hellomagazine.com/us/904202/murdered-actor-final-moments-before-murder-revealed/