One of the Central Saanich police officers that was charged with sexual assault earlier this week has been reported to have died. 

Sgt. Matthew Ball, 43, is believed to have died on Tuesday, Dec. 17 after he and Const. Ryan Johnston, both of the Central Saanich Police Service, due to their alleged separate, intimate, and inappropriate relationships with a woman.

At a news conference at Vancouver Police headquarters on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson explained that over a seven-week period, a team of VPD officers investigated the accused after the victim reported the alleged unlawful sexual contact between 2019 and 2023.

"Details of these arrests may shock many of you. They will reverberate throughout the community in which these officers serve and beyond," said Wilson told reporters. 

"Allegations like these are deeply corrosive to the public trust police officers depend on to keep their communities safe."

The Central Saanich Police Service said at the time that the officers were suspended, and the department began the process to suspend them without pay.

鈥淩egardless of who is accused, when these allegations were brought forward, they were taken very seriously, acted upon immediately and resulted in criminal charges,鈥� said Central Saanich Chief Const. Ian Lawson, adding he would not comment further to ensure the integrity of the case is not impacted.

VPD said both suspects were taken into custody Tuesday morning by members of the Vancouver Police Department, with assistance from the Victoria Police Department. It was shared that afternoon they were in police custody awaiting bail hearings.