Richard Oland homicide probe widens to yacht club

The Saint John police spent hours Thursday searching the Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club, but officials are not connecting the investigation into the killing of high-profile businessman Richard Oland.

This isthe latest search of a property that maybe connected toOland's death.

Oland, whose family still owns Moosehead Breweries,was found dead in his Saint John office on July 7.

Ken Ward, a member of the yacht club, said he arrived at the club in Millidgeville, which is a neighbourhood ofSaint John,on Thursday at about 10 a.m. ATto find the area blocked off to everyone but members.

He said one uniformed police officer was standing at the gate.

"Everyone else was wearing plain clothes so I didn't even really notice them until I saw the divers in the water and somebody taking pictures," he said.

Ward saidpolice seemed to pay special attention to one of the roughly 200 boats at the club a seven-metre avocado-coloured sailboat, called Loki.

A 2010 RKYC directory lists the boat as belonging to Lisa Ferguson, who is Oland's daughter-in-law.

Ward said he doesn't know what the divers were looking for, but he said they'd be hard-pressed to find anything in the water.

"It's pretty murky down there and it's muddy and there's zero visibility," he said.

Police wouldn't say what they were searching for, or even confirm ifthe searchwas related to the Oland homicide investigation.

"The major crime unit were were conducting a search in the area of the Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club in regards to an ongoing file the major crime unit is working on," said Sgt. Glenn Hayward.

There was no sign of police at the club Friday, however Bill Teed, a lawyer for the family, was there.

He declined to comment to CBC News, but was seen boarding the boat in question.

Last Thursday, police alsosearched the Rothesay home of Dennis Oland, the victim's son, and Ferguson's husband.

They spent several hours on the scene and carted away several bags and boxes.

The following day,police also searched a nearby wooded area, around the Bill McGuire Community Centre, also in Rothesay.

Police have not confirmed if any of the searches are related to the homicide investigation.

Police said he likely knew his killer but they have refused to give many more details about the homicide investigation.

The Oland family owns Moosehead Brewery, but Richard Oland left the company in the 1980s. His brother Derek now runs the brewery as its executive chairman.

Oland was an accomplished sailor. He won the International Rolex Regatta in St. Thomas in 2010.