Family of Surrey stabbing victim asking witnesses of unprovoked attack to come forward

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – The family of a man stabbed and left to die in a Surrey parking lot last week is appealing for any information that could help police solve the case.

The Surrey RCMP found Delphin Prestbakmo with stab wounds near Semiahmoo Shopping Centre at 3 a.m. on Friday at a lot at 152 Street and 18 Avenue. He later died of his injuries.

At an Integrated Homicide Investigation Team news conference on Tuesday, his family made an appeal for information from the public to help solve the case. Angela Prestbakmo, his sister, asked for witnesses to come forward.

“Our lives have been shattered to pieces,” she said. “We need your help.”

She described her brother as someone who was always willing to lend a hand to those in need and says she hopes witnesses come forward so something similar doesn’t happen to another family.

Here is the family appeal for information: pic.twitter.com/iYfoO5e1DM

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) August 20, 2019

IHIT’s Srgt. Frank Jang says the stabbing is believed to be an unprovoked attack with no clear motive, but that the suspect or suspects may have known Prestbakmo.

A man was arrested in relation to the case on Friday, but was later released without charges. Jang says witnesses are needed to establish evidence in the case before any charges can be laid.

“A lot of times witnesses are key to the investigation,” he says. “But to remain silent is unacceptable.”

Jang says Prestbakmo lived in the area and was taking the garbage out when the attack happened.

IHIT is now working with the White Rock RCMP to determine if there are any connections with another assault that took place around the same time as the stabbing. In that case, a man in his 60s was assaulted and Jang describes his injuries as “extensive.”