Garnet Ford, the Burnaby man wrongly accused of killing a teen on a bus a week ago, has his job back.
Following the Facebook smear, Ford was told by his employer to take some time off.
But Ford said as a roofer, he doesn't get paid if he is off work. "I have zero income coming in when I'm not at work," said Ford, 26, who has a four-year-old son and a baby on the way.
Ford on Friday said he contacted Facebook to try to get the names of those who sent him hateful, racist messages, some even threatening death.
"It was so frustrating - why me?" said Ford. He thinks being black was all that was needed to line him up as the suspect wanted in the slaying of Jamie Kehoe on Friday night while as the teen rode on a bus in Surrey.
Kehoe's throat was slashed by a male inside the bus who then fled the scene. The suspect was described by police as a young, black male.
Ford still wonders why he was subject to a witch hunt by people he does not know.
"It has been crazy," Ford said.
The ordeal also helped Ford realize who is true friends are. "All my friends close to me said: 'What's going on? We know it's not you.'"
The young father also points out he has a car. "I own a vehicle, why would I be on a bus in Surrey when I live in Burnaby?" he asked.
After the finger-pointing, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) held a media conference to emphasize Ford was not a suspect.
Police continue to look for a black man, six feet to six feet two inches tall, in his early 20s with short, curly hair.
