Vancouver's first two homicides of 2009 both involved elderly men found dead in their apartments, but police say they do not believe there are any links between the two cases.

Carmelo Dibella, 77, was killed Thursday evening in his home at 16 East Hastings St. on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, but news of his death was not released by police until Monday morning.

The second slaying involved an unnamed 65-year-old man who was killed in his apartment in the 900 block of Richards Street around 11 p.m. PT Sunday. Police said the man had a criminal record.

Investigators have not released the cause of death for either victim, or whether the deaths appeared to be targeted or random attacks.

With files from the Canadian Press