Man charged with murder in connection with Belgian tourist killed while hitchhiking

A man has been charged with murder in connection with the death ofaBelgian tourist who was killed while hitchhiking in B.C.last month.

SeanRyan William McKenzie was charged Saturday morning.The location for the charge is listed as Boston Bar, the small town about three hours northeast of Vancouver where tourist Amelie Sakkalis, 28,was found dead.

Sakkalis'sbody was discovered north of Boston Bar on Aug. 22 after police were called to a "suspicious occurrence" near where Highway 1 meetsKahmooseRoad.

The Lower Mainland's Integrated Homicide Investigation Teamsaid Sakkalis had been hitchhiking fromPenticton to Vancouver.

A man was arrested at the scene and police took possession ofa white 1994 Chevy Astrovan they believe was associated with the homicide.

That man, a British Columbian, was interviewed by police andthen released.

The day before her body was found, Sakkalis posted a message on Facebook in French, looking for a ride. She was asking if anyone was going to Vancouver, or even Tofino,from Penticton.

On the day of her death, she posted on a Facebook group called Guide du Croutard, for French-speakers in Vancouver, asking if anyone had a place to stay because the hostels in Vancouver were full.

IHIT spokespersonFrank Jangsaid earlier that Sakkalis was not known to police in B.C. and had "little history" in Canada. French was her primary language.