'It still doesn’t feel real': Missing Guelph man found dead, three arrested

Three people have been arrested after a Guelph man reported missing last month was found dead.

Police only identified the 45-year-old by his first name, Kenny, and say his death is being investigated as a homicide.

Friends confirm his full name was Kenny Wright.

“It doesn’t make sense,” friend Candiss Pettitt said. “It’s a senseless thing that happened. He should still be here.”

Pettitt describes Wright as a loving father, brother and son.

“It still doesn’t feel real because he was a caring and loving person. This is a big loss for a lot of people.”

She and another friend, who’s also known Wright for years, say they were shocked to learn his death is not believed to be accidental.

“He was a good guy,” said Amy Clarke. “He was kind and compassionate and outgoing.”

POLICE INVESTIGATION

On Thursday, Guelph police said Kenny’s body was found at an undisclosed location outside the city on Friday, Oct. 27. 

Officers were staged at an investigation at his home on Guelph Street from Oct. 8 to 14. It was later turned back over to the home owner. (CTV Kitchener)

A 43-year-old man, 39-year-old man and 47-year-old woman have been arrested for accessory after the fact to murder. All are from Guelph.

Police said the victim and the people who have now been charged knew each other.

Over the course of their investigation, police spent six days at the home on Guelph Street. Police did not confirm who the home belonged to.

“Based on the evidence collected both at the scene at the residence and since then, we’re confident that it was a homicide,” police spokesperson Scott Tracey said Thursday.

Police did not specify what led them to the area where Kenny’s body was found or provide a cause of death.

“This is certainly a very active ongoing investigation that our officers are working on every day,” he said.

Tracey could not confirm if police are looking for other persons of interest, but did not rule out if more charges will be laid.

“Certainly the charge – accessory after the fact to murder does indicate that, as we said in the media release, we are treating this as a homicide. In terms of what the involvement of the various parties is at this time that’s still a matter of the investigation,” he said.

Police said investigators believe this was a targeted incident and there is no risk to public safety.