VPD charges suspect in fatal Downtown Eastside assault

Vancouver Police say a two-week investigation has resulted in charges against a man accused in the killing of a Downtown Eastside resident late last month. Detectives from the Homicide Unit began their work on November 28 after a 45-year-old man was found seriously injured near Gore Street and Powell Street in the early morning hours.

Investigators allege the victim was assaulted by a stranger around 3 a.m. and later died from his injuries. Police identified a suspect during the investigation and arrested him on Sunday evening near Main Street and Terminal Avenue.

Court records show 33-year-old Korey Robert Muskett has now been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Mark Andrew Roasa. Muskett remains in custody while the case proceeds through the provincial court system.

The death has renewed community discussion about safety in and around the Downtown Eastside, where local advocates and residents have long urged all levels of government to increase support for violence prevention, mental health outreach, and street-level services.