Canada-wide hunt for suspected serial rapist

VANCOUVER – A suspected serial rapist is being hunted by the RCMP across Canada. Police are looking for former Manitoba resident Shaun Richard Funk, 35, who faces two charges of violent sexual assault, a charge of kidnapping, robbery and break and enter and police say he is of interest in several other cases. “Funk is being considered as a suspect in other offenses on Vancouver Island. Police urge anyone with information on Funk’s whereabouts to contact 9-1-1 immediately,” said Cpl. Darren Lagan. “We need the public’s support to find this individual who poses a high risk to public safety. If you know the whereabouts of Shaun Funk, call your local police immediately,” said Lagan of the Vancouver Island RCMP. Police had previously issued a B.C.-wide warning to women to be careful about a man they were investigating for a violent home invasion and sex attack. The crack addict is known to stay in campgrounds and likes to eat at bars and exit without paying. RCMP in Ladysmith and Squamish in B.C. accuse Funk of being the man who abducted a Squamish woman, drove her to the Vancouver area and then sexually attacked her again. In Ladysmith, he entered the home of a woman and violently attacked her. “These warrants stem from extensive investigations into two separate incidents in Squamish and Ladysmith, BC. As a result of evidence gathered throughout these investigations, Shaun Funk has been identified as a suspect in both,” police said in a statement. “The Squamish incident occurred on August 28th, 2009, where a 39-year- old woman was held against her will, sexually assaulted in Squamish, and then transported to Burnaby and sexually assaulted again,” said an RCMP statement. “ The Ladysmith incident occurred on September 26th, 2009, where a woman in her 50’s was sexually assaulted by a man who broke in to her home,” police said. Squamish- In the early morning hours of August 28th, 2009, the RCMP received a report of a kidnapping and sexual assault that began in Squamish, BC and ended in Burnaby, BC. The male suspect drove the victim to a wooded area in Squamish, where he sexually assaulted her repeatedly. The suspect then drove to the Vancouver area, where he sexually assaulted her again. The suspect withdrew cash from the victim’s bank account by an ATM, before driving her to north Burnaby and fleeing on foot. Ladysmith – At 3:30 am on the morning of September 26th, 2009, on Malone Road in Ladysmith, a woman awakened to find a man in her bedroom. She was physically, and sexually assaulted by the man, before he fled the residence. In another incident, a man broke into a woman’s home on the same night but fled. Police have said previously the two incidents are linked but have not charged Funk with the other incident in Ladysmith. The previous police warning was broad because police thought the suspect in the Ladysmith case was not local. “This warning from police is not limited to the Ladysmith area, or Vancouver Island,” Cpl. Dan Lagan had said. “Our investigators are examining the possibility that this man is not a local resident”, said Lagan. “Until such time as we identify, locate and arrest him, we are not in a position to speculate on his whereabouts. For that reason, we are broadening our public warning…” “Funk is originally from Manitoba and has previously resided in Alberta. Funk’s current whereabouts are unknown, but he has been known to stay at campgrounds. Funk is known to have a crack cocaine habit. He has been known to attend bars and restaurants where he runs a tab for food and drinks, and then attempts to leave without paying his bill,” said a police statement. FUNK is described as: Caucasian male 35 years old Brown hair Brown eyes Approx. 5′ 8″ – 5′ 10″ tall Approx. 150 lbs. Slim build FUNK has tribal art tattoos on his upper right arm and a noticeable mole on the right side of his chin.