Article content

The case of a rancher who has been missing in B.C. since January is being treated as a suspicious disappearance by the RCMP.

Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says members of the southeast district major crime unit have reviewed the evidence that has been collected since Ben Tyner disappeared and have decided the case may involve criminal activity.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Case of missing B.C. cowboy Ben Tyner 'may involve criminality': RCMP Back to video

Tyner, 32, was the manager of the Nicola Ranch, about 300 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. He was last seen on Jan. 26 as he rode out on horseback, possibly to search for cattle in the surrounding hills.

He was reported missing two days later when his saddled horse was found wandering on a logging road off Highway 97 northwest of Merritt.

An extensive search that included RCMP and volunteers on foot, horseback, in helicopters, vehicles and snowmobiles found no trace of Tyner.

Shoihet says early on investigators requested assistance from major crime detectives, but until this week police had said there was no indication of foul play.