Friends have identified the man who was found dead at an Oliver home Saturday as Demetrious Karahalios.

Karahalios, better known as Coco, was a cook at Woody’s bar and those that knew him described him as “bigger than life.”

“A big personality and big laughter and, a big heart,” Rob Browatzke said.  

Browatzke added that Coco had been a private man but a great listener.

“He would do so with humour and very unique wisdom.

“His humour was pretty fantastic.”

Police were called out to the home Saturday afternoon and have called the death suspicious.

“The circumstances are sufficiently suspicious that we have called out our homicide detectives and our forensic investigators to take the lead in the investigation,” acting inspector Malcom Allan said at the scene.

 “Any death is obviously going to be a loss and something unexpected like this, it's just all the more tragic just because of its senselessness,” Browatzke said.

Coco was part of Edmonton’s gay community and Mickey Wilson with Edmonton’s Pride Centre said the death has many worried.

“It also raises concern, fear, you see social stress.

“Right now, everybody's kind of reeling and wondering what happened and waiting for some answers.”

A Facebook memorial page has been set up for Coco.

An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Police have asked anyone with information to contact them, 780-42346-567 or Crime Stoppers, 1-80-222-8477.

With files from Sarah Richter