VALPARAISO, Chile - The University of British Columbia says a retired geochemistry professor has died in Chile.
A spokesperson for UBC confirmed in an email that Peter Winterburn, a retired professor in the school's faculty of science, was killed in the South American country.
Global Affairs Canada also confirms that a Canadian citizen has been murdered in Chile, although for privacy reasons the department does not identify the citizen.
Spokesperson Stefano Maron says consular officials are helping the victim's family and are in contact with local authorities.
A statement on the website of the 29th International Applied Geochemistry Symposium, set to be held in Chile next year, says Winterburn had recently moved back to Chile after many years away.
Local media report that a Canadian man was with his wife and daughter when he was stabbed to death by two people during an attempted robbery in Valparaiso, a port city about 100 kilometres west of the capital Santiago, on Friday afternoon.