Updated: Mon Apr. 13 2009 18:48:51

CTV.ca News Staff

A homeless, disabled man who was found horrifically killed last week in Vancouver was a father of two that struggled with a long-time battle with drugs.

Michael Ciro Nestoruk, 41, who was confined to a wheelchair and only had one leg, was found last Thursday by parents dropping off their children at Sir Guy Carleton Elementary.

Vancouver police are asking for help in their investigation into the "disturbing" death.

When his body was found next to the school, it was naked from the waist down, police said. Nestoruk's pants, shoes and wheelchair were found nearby.

"He was a homeless, defenceless victim and this is truly a disturbing and heinous crime," Vancouver police Const. Lindsay Houghton told reporters.

He said even seasoned investigators were shaken by the nature of Nestoruk's death.

In a 2007 interview with a local newspaper, Nestoruk said he had struggled with an addiction to heroin and cocaine for years.

That interview was a follow-up story after he was photographed in 2006 lying in a park with all of his personal belongings around him. He said he became homeless because of his drug addiction, losing his leg and his family problems.

But in 2007, it appeared Nestoruk had turned it all around, in an effort to be a better father to his children.

With help from the B.C. Paraplegic Association he went to rehab and began using a prosthetic leg. He was even selected to join the province's wheelchair tennis team.

But at the time of his death, his friends say he had fallen off the wagon again and was back on the streets.

"He had his own place but I guess because of the drugs they kicked him out," his friend, Jerry, who is also homeless, told CTV British Columbia.

"He was a pleasant guy, just easy going. I have no idea (who would kill him)."

Police are not saying how Nestoruk died, but are appealing for help as they investigate the murder -- the 13th of the year in the city.

Politicians gathered on Monday near the scene of the crime to criticize the federal government response to homelessness in the area.

"The killing of Michael Nestoruk has affected this community profoundly," NDP MLA Adrian Dix said. "For us as representatives this is a truly important event. It is unacceptable to us that this sort of violence happens."

The investigation

A statement on the Vancouver Police Department website says anyone who saw a man in a wheelchair between midnight and 6 a.m. on April 9, should contact the homicide department.

"If they saw a man in a wheelchair or anything suspicious, if they can look back into their minds and please get a hold of our investigators," Houghton said.

Nestoruk was known in the area, and often panhandled nearby, Houghton said.

Residents of the area said homeless people sometimes take shelter on the school grounds.

Maj. Ken Ritson of the Salvation Army said he hopes the death will serve as a reminder that Vancouver's homeless population faces many challenges.

"I hope that through an incident like this, that the general public will want to reach out and want to help them ... they're somebody's son, somebody's daughter -- they need help," he told CTV British Columbia.

Classes were cancelled at the east Vancouver school after Nestoruk's body was found. Students are expected to return to school on Tuesday as scheduled.

Police have not said whether they believe the attack was random or if Nestoruk was targeted.

Comments are now closed for this story

Jason
He panhandled in my neighbourhood. He wasn't a very nice person and he made our streets, at the very least, scary to walk in. My neighbourhood wasn't very nice to prostitutes who used to visit. I remember someone wrote a large sign that said "NOT WELCOMED" where they used to visit (very close to the murder scene). I wouldn't feel safe sending my children to a public school where a sketchy/ often irritated homeless man visits every now and then.

Nancy- The Best Social Program is a Money Manager
They need to find a new place to take shelter, hanging out in the school yard with no bathrooms is gross.
He would of received AISH payments Assured Income for the Severally Handicap.
The best social program to help these people would be a money manager that pays the rent and buy groceries.
That said this shows how cruel crimminals are and why they need to locked up.

Red X
How about the Vancouver councillors work to get the homeless off the street by housing them and providing training so they don't get beaten up.

Wade Ens - Election Issue for NDP
This may become an Election issue in BC Provincial election this week, the NDP is pushing hard for BC to become a socialist province with communal ownership of everything and redistribution of the wealth equally, kind of like a Hutterite Colony.

Dumpster City
Who would want to live in Vancouver the most lawless place in Canada. the lower east side looks like something out of Slumdog Millionaire. Real Estate is out of reach. drugs run like water. When the rest of the world takes a look they will sure know all the propaganda was hooey. I hope some association will have bus tours of the lower east side so those coming to Vancouver will get their eyes open of our free society

Greg
It's not about money management. This shows up the B.C. Liberals for their disturbing lack of support for people with disabilities. One raise in over a decade and a small one at that. Rent alone eats up 70% or more of your monthly income not to mention the added expenses when you have disabilities.

Rick in NB
Nancy, shame on you. Where are all the poor little angels for his person. Or my heart goes out to him.
This guy doesn't have the puppy seal appeal so there will be no sympathy for him on this site. We will chide all governments for failing the system. We will talk of the homeless and discuss the effects this will bring to the olympics. We will denounce the murders on the west coast.
But i doubt that We will set aside one moment for Michael Ciro Nestoruk and his ordeal.

Pat P
What a horrible crime. Who would do such a thing?
Get used to it because until this Country gets off its a** and re-instates Capitol Punishment, this will never stop.
Lets put it to a Country wide vote and then we'll see.
Remember majority rules....oh wait a minute...the government has lost sight of that fact.
We need to remind them first that THEY WORK FOR US. Then maybe we will get somewhere!
We need to get these murderous bastards off the streets once and for all and....forever
LONG LIVE THE HANGMAN!

Laura Langstaff
This is about the fact that persons with disabilities living in Canada experience a sub-citizenship, not an equal citizenship. In the glaring absence of a federal legislation entrenching standards and the rights of persons with disabilities, the charter right of mobility is precluded by provincial residency requirements, the right to choose a spouse is precluded by funding streams which deny income to the most natural primary caregiver, a spouse; the right to a career of choice is determined by what assistive devices are available and funded from province to province, and the list goes on and on and on. The disability file is a stand alone file, but too often is divvied up between housing, health, finance, etc. The disability file crosses all sectors, and if treated as a stand alone file federally, a legislations drafted in consultation with persons with disabilities, family caregivers and practitioners in special needs supports, a huge swath of social problems could start to be dealt with.

Samual
Nancy: a money manager would do nothing.
I was homeless most of my life, I fought alcohol addiction for 30 years of my life. Alcohol was the only drug that stole my life & brought me to my knees, it made me do things I would never do. Take a drug like heroin it puts you to sleep, cocaine is like drinking a gallon of coffee. These drugs don't make a person do things they would never do. Prohibition didn't work with alcohol, we have gangs because drugs are illegal. As a kid I was terrified of drugs, but after a few drinks I would try anything, it made me do things I would never do. The only solution to societies drug, alcohol & homeless is, all drugs have to be legal & education about all drugs has to be drilled into kids at a young age. When a person reaches the age which they are permitted to buy alcohol & drugs they need to one more time go through an extensive, coarse to fully understand the dangers, all questions have to be answered correctly. Then they sign a statement that says they understand the risks of putting these poisons into their bodies. Then a computerized card is issued to limit the quantity they are able to purchase.
I remember the RCMP coming to my school when I was a kid & telling us drugs were bad, the dangers of alcohol were never disgust. So it goes on, drugs are bad in a kids mind but alcohol gives kids the courage to try them. If you haven't been there you have no idea of what it's all about. Since I quit drinking I haven't wanted to light someone on fire, stick a fork in their eye or commit suicide.

Joe Pistone Woodbridge.
Dumpster city ,you are correct.
Organized crime has decimated Vancouver.From ruling the ports so it is easy to bring in all kinds of drugs to supplying to all the clubs bars etc with this gasbage.Down with organized crime !

Concerned Canadian
Wade Ens

Is that really the NDP program? Are you confusing socialism with communism Wade?

Socialism just means taxing the wealthy (as well as the middle class) in order to pay for social programs that benefit everyone, such as schools and hospitals. It doesn't have anything to do with "redistributing wealth equally" or "communal ownership of everything." That's a red herring created by those who have confused socialism with communism.

Socialist economies are called "mixed economies" Wade - there are still lots of capitalists, but they don't get to increase their wealth to the point where huge gaps open between them and everyone else, causing huge social inequities.

Socialist understand that everyone has a stake in a well-managed economy combined with a well-managed society. In extreme capitalism, individuals are able to use the assets of society to make themselves very wealthy, while others go without. In America, for example, privatized health care means that 46,000,000 Americans can't afford coverage.In Canada, as you know, everyone is covered equally. If you're wealthy in America, you can get great health care. But if you're poor...

In socialist societies, everyone has to share the burden equally, and everyone is equally covered. But that doesn't mean redistributing income equally, or "communal ownership," except of public assets such as schools and hospitals.

Eliza Hill
I totally agree with this statement. This should apply to all Homeless people, thus ensuring eventually there will be no person in this country without shelter. Why are they on the streets, this was never allowed before, NOT in this Country. People having addictions of any kind should NOT be given money, Social Services could provide Food Vouchers or Grocery store Gift Cards instead of cash (no tobacco products allowed)...and make payable ONLY to the intended person.(photo ID) RENT should be paid directly to the Landlord. THEREFORE no person would be hungry or without shelter.(No one can get money from a person for any reason, if they do not have money) THis has gone on long enough. THIS RULE SHOULD APPLY TO EVERY PROVINCE IN THIS COUNTRY. IT HAS WORKED BEFORE, and it CAN WORK AGAIN.

East Van Girl
Very sad. I live in the area and I would not call it a slum by any means. There are homes in the area worth over a million dollars. This could happen anywhere. I am pretty sure I know who this man was, as he used to panhandle outside of the London Drugs nearby.

He's a person, regardless of his disability and I agree, disability assistance is not enough for a person to live with dignity.

Regardless of his situation and the politics behind it, there are some sick persons or person out there who did this horrible thing to this man and they deserve the harshest punishment. It's bad enough people prey on others but to do something like this to someone so vulnerable is unfathomable.

I hope they find the monsters who did this.

And Wade, what the hell does this have to do with the NDP? Clearly there are needs of people not being met and whomever finds themselves leading the province next term has some serious re-evaluating to do.

Bill Ayres
Maybe when people go to the polls on election night,they will ask themselves ,do they want to continue having their childeren going to school with homeless strangers in the morning. This is happinging everywhere undoubtly. Should our childeren be forced to see the cruel and heartlessness of our world these people need housing

Cathy
Homelessness and streetlife is definately an issue in today's society.

I see it everyday. There were times when I would offer to buy food for a homeless person...I was told that that wouldn't do that money would be better...I have seen people give away their lunches only to then be thrown away as soon as they left...they give change which in turn is used for drugs or cigarettes...I have had people harass me for money on the street and on the sidewalk...sometimes they have been agressive to the point that I would actually be afraid for my safety.

It is these kinds of incidents which cause regular folks not lend a helping hand...even to those who would truly and genuinely be thankful for it.

Stop the production of drugs and guns and some of society's problems will go away. Government agencies must intervene before a person becomes a resident of the streets.