A 35-year-old Kamloops man has been charged in the 2023 death of his mother whose body was found near her Westsyde-area home nine days after she was last seen.

RCMP say Brandon Jeremiah Donovan was arrested without incident today, Sept. 13, and charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of 57-year-old Jo-Anne Donovan.

“We are extremely pleased to have advanced this homicide investigation to the charge approval stage, which is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our SCU and support units,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said.

“Having these results in this length of time is admirable and exceptional given the number of other homicide and complex investigations they continue to advance concurrently.”

Online court records show Brandon Donovan was charged in connection with an offence on March 13, 2023 – the same day his mother was last seen. Jo-Anne Donovan was reported missing four days later, and an autopsy later confirmed that she was the victim of homicide.

“[Our officers, units, and support staff] have worked diligently in gathering all available evidence, to submit a complete and thorough package for review and charge approval by the BC Prosecution Service, resulting in today’s arrest,” Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Nestor Baird said.

A date for Donovan’s first court appearance has not yet been set.