A Kelowna man has been arrested in connection to the 2014 killing of Christopher Ausman.

Steven Randy Pirko, who was born in 1992, was arrested and charged with second degree murder. According to the court services website Pirko is still in custody.

“From the early on-set of this investigation there were key factors to suggest that Christopher’s death was suspicious in nature, as such the Kelowna RCMP Serious Crime Unit (SCU) assumed conduct of the investigation into his death,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, in a press release.

On Friday Nov. 18, serious crime investigators co-ordinated and effected the arrest of Pirko.

Upon learning the news friends and family of Ausman took to his “In Loving Memory” page on Facebook and left comments about the relief and closure they’re experiencing in light of the news. By the end of the day, hundreds of comments had been logged.

Many noted it’s the first official thing they’ve heard since Ausman’s body was found on a  bloodstained portion of sidewalk  in the 100 block of Highway 33 Jan. 25, 2014.

It’s a case that has seen little public attention for the better part of three years.

Ausman, who worked at Ace Plumbing and Heating, was known to friends as an all-round decent guy.

On the night of his death he had reportedly been playing poker with friends. It was surmised he’d likely been at the Rutland 7-11 and ran into someone with ill intent.

Pirko was scheduled to return to court Nov. 23. He has a long criminal history, mostly relating to theft, drug offences and probation breaches.