A true crime drama based on the 1997 murder of British Columbia teen Reena Virk does 91裸聊视频渁 great disservice91裸聊视频� to the victim, her family and her community, says a retired cop who worked on the original investigation.

The Disney Plus miniseries 91裸聊视频淯nder the Bridge,91裸聊视频� which premieres Wednesday, centres on the real-life story of Virk, who was 14 when she was swarmed and beaten by a group of teens in Saanich, B.C., and subsequently drowned in a waterway.

Retired staff sergeant Chris Horsley, who served as a media liaison for the Saanich Police Department during the Virk case, says he hasn91裸聊视频檛 seen any episodes but worries about whether the show compromises accuracy for 91裸聊视频渄ramatic effect.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 sad in a way because there91裸聊视频檚 a lot of significant trauma in the real investigation,91裸聊视频� he says over the phone from Victoria.

91裸聊视频淏ut it91裸聊视频檚 a Hollywood production, right? Unfortunately, it91裸聊视频檚 made on the memory of someone who was in fact murdered here. So I probably won91裸聊视频檛 watch the TV series.91裸聊视频�

Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough star as a Saanich police officer and writer investigating Virk91裸聊视频檚 death. Keough plays a version of late author Rebecca Godfrey, whose 2005 book 91裸聊视频淯nder the Bridge,91裸聊视频� about Virk91裸聊视频檚 murder, serves as the basis for the show.

Horsley says none of the investigators involved in the Virk case heard from the 91裸聊视频淯nder the Bridge91裸聊视频� production team during the series91裸聊视频� development and a spokesperson for the Saanich Police Department also says they were not consulted.

91裸聊视频淭he minute that the production strays from the truth and starts to become fiction, I think that is a great disservice to not only Reena and her memory but also to the people who worked on the case and those who participated here in the community,91裸聊视频� says Horsley, adding that several anti-violence programs were launched in the Greater Victoria area following Virk91裸聊视频檚 murder.

Publicists for the production with Disney Plus Canada did not respond to a request for comment.

Horsley says Virk91裸聊视频檚 death is, to this day, the 91裸聊视频渂iggest media story91裸聊视频� Saanich has ever had.

91裸聊视频淚t was very unique having not just young offenders but young female offenders committing such a degree of violence. I don91裸聊视频檛 think it was something we got our heads around at that point.91裸聊视频�

Episodes made available in advance portray Godfrey, who co-produced the series with creator Quinn Shephard before her death in 2022, as participating with police in the investigation. Horsley says this was not the case.

91裸聊视频淭hat didn91裸聊视频檛 happen at all. She didn91裸聊视频檛 write the book for long after the incident took place.91裸聊视频�

In the pilot, Virk91裸聊视频檚 uncle and father, played by Anoop Desai and Ezra Faroque Khan, visit the police station to report the girl missing but officers don91裸聊视频檛 take them seriously.

Horsley also counters this, saying school officials reported her missing and that Virk was living in a group home at the time because of a troubled relationship with her parents.

He adds that Virk91裸聊视频檚 family had an 91裸聊视频渆xcellent working relationship91裸聊视频� with the police.

According to documents released by the Parole Board of Canada last month, Virk91裸聊视频檚 killer Kelly Ellard 91裸聊视频� who changed her name to Kerry Sim 91裸聊视频� told her case managers it was 91裸聊视频渟o horrendous91裸聊视频� that the series will 91裸聊视频渞e-victimize the victim91裸聊视频檚 family.91裸聊视频�

Horsley says he expects that far more than just those connected directly to the case will be impacted by the series.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not just the family that would be retraumatized. I think it91裸聊视频檚 also friends of Reena and other people that lived in the community that were affected by the murder,91裸聊视频� says Horsley.

91裸聊视频淭he vast majority of the viewing audience, they don91裸聊视频檛 have that personal connection, but here in Victoria there91裸聊视频檚 many people that do. It91裸聊视频檚 been 27 years but there91裸聊视频檚 still a lot of people in Victoria that were affected by this murder.91裸聊视频�

Horsley says he91裸聊视频檚 perturbed by the proliferation of true crime shows 91裸聊视频渢hat are loosely based on real events.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he tragedy for me is they91裸聊视频檙e not loosely based on real victims,91裸聊视频� he says.

91裸聊视频淭hese are real people with families that were murdered. And a lot of people are watching for entertainment value.91裸聊视频�

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