Prince George taxi drivers investigated in slayings

More than 140 Prince George taxi drivers have been grilled by the RCMP as part of a murder investigation.

Most have also given blood samples.

P.G. Taxi Manager, Sam Kuuluvainen, said he was contacted several months ago by police officers investigating the killings of Cynthia Maas and Jill Stuchenko.

One woman's body was discovered in a Prince George park, the other in a gravel pit.

Kuuluvainen told CBC News he complied with an RCMP request to hand over the names and phone numbers of all his cab drivers.

"They told me they just wanted to question some of the drivers, see if they knew anything. They ended up calling up every single driver, not only questioning them, but asking them for a DNA sample. I got the idea it wasn't so much questioning as trying to eliminate suspects," he said.

Kuuluvainen said all but two complied.

"If they didn't immediately give them one [an interview], they were told they'd remain a suspect and a person of interest. A number of our drivers were upset that they were singling out our industry," he said.

Kuuluvainen believes all the drivers have been cleared.

The RCMP hasn't responded to an interview request from CBC News.

This was not the first time homicide investigators have questioned northern B.C. cabbies.

Several years ago, after the body of 14-year-old Aielah Saric Auger was found dumped along Highway 16, policeseized taxi logbooks and interrogated six drivers.