Nanaimo homicide suspect convicted of assaulting teen in alleged abduction attempt

A man accused of the second-degree murder of a Nanaimo grandmother has a history of violent offenses, including a previous conviction for assaulting a teen during an alleged abduction attempt. Cameron Alexander Compton, 32, faces charges of murder and interfering with human remains in connection with the death of Sherry Shelley, 64, who vanished from her home and was later found deceased.

Compton also faces eight allegations of intimate partner violence, including assault by choking and mischief. His trial for these charges was adjourned to August 4. He has been in custody since November 18, with no bail hearing. A criminal lawyer noted that the serious intimate partner violence charges and the ongoing murder probe would have made bail unlikely.

Compton's criminal history dates back to 2014 when he was charged in the attempted abduction of a 17-year-old girl. He was convicted of lesser charges, including choking to overcome resistance and assault causing bodily harm, and received a 21-month jail sentence followed by probation.

Police have released Compton's name and image, along with details of the vehicle involved, in an effort to gather more information from the public. Investigators are appealing to anyone who may have had contact with Compton or has information about the incident, or who was in the vicinity of the crime scene on the day of the incident, to come forward.

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If the Crown alleged an outstanding murder investigation while Mr. Compton was going for bail on these serious IPV charges, a judge is going to give that extremely serious consideration and it seems to me that bail would have been a lost cause at that stage.