A couple in their 60s, Bruce Richards and Roxanne Davidson, who were tragically killed in their Maple Ridge home last week, were remembered by friends as soulmates with a strong bond and a happy life. Their close friends describe them as loving parents and devoted partners who lived life fully until a neighbourhood conflict turned deadly.
“They were the best couple ever,” said Matt Paproski, a longtime friend and former rugby teammate of Bruce Richards. “They loved their children deeply, traveled widely, and enjoyed skiing together. They were inseparable and showed how a good relationship can truly work.”
Richards was a retired teacher from Coquitlam, while Davidson worked as a financial analyst at a bank. The couple is believed to have had two adult sons. Friends say the pair were calm, kind, and not the type to have enemies, making their deaths even more shocking.
Paproski expressed how the tragedy has affected him personally. “I never imagined something like this could happen to them. It shook me so much that I was afraid to sleep in my own bed that night. It made me rethink how I see my own neighbours and my safety.”
Police have described the killings as a “targeted and isolated incident” linked to a dispute between neighbours in the Albion residential area of Maple Ridge. The conflict first surfaced around 6:40 p.m. last Wednesday when Ridge Meadows RCMP were called to the 11800 block of 239th Street over a neighbourhood disagreement. Officers spoke to several people and left the scene.
However, the situation escalated hours later. Around 10:30 p.m., police returned after reports of two vehicles and a garage on fire, a break-in attempt at the couple’s house, and gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Bruce Richards, Roxanne Davidson, and their dog dead inside the home.
Authorities say a suspect armed with a weapon was inside a neighbouring house. When police entered after 2 a.m. on Thursday, the suspect was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) confirmed there are no other suspects linked to the case.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is currently reviewing the police response to determine if any action or inaction contributed to the deaths. They have urged anyone with information or video footage related to the incident to come forward.
This heartbreaking event has left the Maple Ridge community in shock and mourning. Friends remember Bruce and Roxanne not just as victims, but as a loving couple who lived a joyful life together until the tragedy unfolded.
