‘A shining star’: Friend grieves for victim in Summerland suspicious death

Alannah Brown struggled with depression and substance use, but she was also a "kind, loving soul," a friend says.

Brown was found in a burnt out vehicle near Summerland alongside her boyfriend Douglas Barker. They were both 30 years old.

"Alannah was a shining star and will be truly missed by so many, and she 100 per cent did not deserve what happened to her," her friend of 12 years, Delores Stubbington, said in a written message to iNFOnews.ca.

Stubbington said it's difficult to talk about the loss of her friend.

"She had no family around to love her and she was always trying to find someone to love her," Stubbington said.

Like Barker, she struggled with addiction. Although she got sober a few times, drugs were often "an answer" for her depression, Stubbington said.

"She loved to sing. Lana Del Rey was her favourite. She was always hugging her friends and singing to them, even if she didn’t sound too great," she said.

READ MORE: Victim in pair of suspicious deaths near Summerland described as 'fun-loving uncle'

However, she added Brown loved to hike, exercise, sing and dance with her friends.

"I always thought she was brave when she would get up at 11 p.m. … to go for a jog," she said. "She would go out to bars alone and meet so many people because she was free spirited like that."

Barker's family said he and Brown had been together for only a few months before their bodies were found near a shooting range off Highway 97.

Police began investigating after firefighters were called to a vehicle fire on Sept. 15. B.C. RCMP major crimes unit is now investigating, but they haven't yet confirmed publicly the investigation is ruled a homicide.

Each of them had been in and out of sobriety, and Barker was preparing to work and "start a new life," his family said.

Police said on Sept. 17 that another vehicle near Oliver was found burning and they were investigating whether it was related. RCMP hasn't yet confirmed whether it was.

The pair were last seen alive on Sept. 14, one day before they were found near the Penticton Shooting Range, according to RCMP.

Police confirmed their names on Oct. 24, but provided few details about the progress of the investigation.

"The B.C. RCMP serious crime unit knows there are people who saw Ms. Brown and Mr. Barker in the days leading up to their deaths and we are urging them to speak with police," B.C. RCMP major crime Supt. Sanjay Wijayakoon said in the Oct. 24 news release.

If you have information about this incident, you are can contact the Southeast District major crimes unit tip line at 1-877-987-8477.

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