Ron Mackintosh was the type of person who wouldn't hurt a fly, say Comox Valley friends Wendy and Wes Klettke.
The former Comox Valley resident was found dead Tuesday near the coastal Mexican town of Barra de Navidad, according to a Guadalajara newspaper. He was 64.
Mackintosh was last seen Oct. 21 in the town of Melaque, where he had dropped off a friend. The next day his girlfriend, Marie, reported him missing to police.
His body was allegedly found tied to a tie about a kilometre from the centre of the popular beach resort. It appears he was robbed of his money and vehicle. His dog, which was with him at the time of his disappearance, was also not found.
Mackintosh lived in Nanaimo before residing in Courtenay and Cumberland. After retiring two years ago from Koers & Associates Engineering, he moved to Barra de Navidad, where he had previously vacationed and where he had developed numerous friendships.
One of the first things Mackintosh did when he arrived was to rescue a dog he found on the beach.
"That's the kind of guy he was," Wes said, recalling he and his friend were part of a group of about 20 men who met weekly over beers.
Mackintosh, who worked as an engineering technician, considered Barra de Navidad a safe place to retire.
"Before he moved down there, we went over a lot of stuff," Wes said. "This was a very calculated move, and he thought about it a lot, but because the pensions don't pay enough to live up here, then he had to live down there.
"He loved it down there. He hated the cold. There were only two or three weeks a year where he was comfortable enough up here.
"He definitely didn't deserve it," Wes added of his friend's death. "It's ironic that it comes just when WestJet's announcing cheap flights to Puerto Vallarta ...This was his worst nightmare."
Mackintosh leaves behind a son and daughter.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com