Mehdi Eslahian, known to his friends and family as Damian, was a son, a father, a brother, and a friend. The 37-year-old male from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, was remembered by his loved ones as someone who was taken from them far too soon. In a statement released a year after his death, his family described their lives as being in "a constant state of melancholy" since he was killed, a profound and lasting grief for the man they would miss forever.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, June 30, 2022, the quiet of a residential neighborhood was broken by the sound of gunfire. At approximately 1:00 a.m., Coquitlam RCMP responded to reports of a shooting outside a home in the 2700-block of Davies Avenue in Port Coquitlam. When first responders arrived, they found Mehdi Eslahian suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite their immediate life-saving efforts, his injuries were too severe, and he died at the scene.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called in and took conduct of the case, working in partnership with the Coquitlam RCMP, the BC Coroners Service, and the Integrated Forensic Identification Section. Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was targeted. However, they also stated that they did not believe the murder was connected to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict that had plagued the region. Police confirmed that Eslahian was known to them, but did not elaborate on the nature of those interactions.
The investigation focused on piecing together Eslahian's final hours. IHIT detectives sought to speak with his associates to build a timeline of his activities leading up to the shooting. They made a public plea for any witnesses to come forward, specifically requesting CCTV, dashcam, or cellphone footage from the area. The timeframe of interest was between 10 p.m. on June 29 and 2 a.m. on June 30, 2022. Investigators highlighted several key locations, including the 2000-block of Davies Avenue and the intersection of Hastings Street and Lougheed Highway, noting that it was an area with low traffic at that time of night, making any footage particularly valuable.
On the one-year anniversary of the homicide, in June 2023, both IHIT and Eslahian’s family issued powerful public appeals for information. Sergeant Timothy Pierotti of IHIT urged those with knowledge of the crime to come forward. "This shooting took place in a residential neighbourhood. We know there are people out there who have critical information that can help bring this family closure," he stated. "Now is the time to do the right thing."
Eslahian’s family shared their profound sense of loss in a heart-wrenching statement. "The death of Mehdi (Damian) has left us in a constant state of melancholy," they wrote. "He was a son, a father, a brother and a friend to those who knew him. He was taken away from us too soon & we will miss him forever. If you know anything about this case, please don't hesitate and share what you know, even if it seems miniscule to you. Please do not let his death be in vain."
As of February 2026, the murder of Mehdi Eslahian remains an active and unsolved investigation, featured on the RCMP's IHIT Unsolved Cases page. Investigators continue to believe that people in the community hold the key to breaking the case and bringing a measure of peace to his grieving family. No reward has been publicly offered.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the murder of Mehdi Eslahian to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at [email protected].
