The family of 22-year-old Tim McLean, stabbed and decapitated Wednesday in a vicious attack on a Greyhound bus, are angry the RCMP took so long to inform them that he was the victim.

CTV's Murray Oliver visited the family's house in Winnipeg Friday and spoke to McLean's sister.

"She told us that in fact they didn't know that Tim was the victim in this crime until last night when a journalist came to their house and knocked on the door," said Oliver.

"Obviously they're wondering why the RCMP did not come and inform the family for such a long time."

He said the family had been following the story when the news first broke.

"Then, to get the knock on the door, and to find out that it's your son, it's your brother -- I can't imagine how it must have been for them and that shock is written on their faces," said Oliver.

He said the family was also angry with the media.

"Tim's sister told us the family feels they really can't say a word -- not even to speak about Tim's life -- until they can assemble the family together and they can come up with a joint statement," he said.

Suspect charged

RCMP have charged Vince Weiguang Li, 40, with second-degree murder.

Li, from Edmonton, Alta., will appear at a court in Portage la Prairie, Man., on Friday, RCMP confirmed in a press release.

Initial reports said McLean was sleeping with his head against the window when a large man sitting beside him attacked.

However, one of McLean's best friends said he was not asleep when the attack happened.

"I was talking to one of his ex-girlfriends not too long ago, and she was texting him the whole way back from Edmonton until 10 minutes before this accident happens," William Caron told The Canadian Press.

"He was just sitting there texting her, listening to music on his cellphone."

Caron said McLean was returning to Winnipeg after working at a carnival booth at fairs around western Canada.

"My brother was supposed to go meet him at the bus depot and he never showed up," said Caron.

Brian, who asked that his last name not be used, worked with McLean and described him Friday as an easy-going guy.

"The one thing that I noticed about Tim was that he never took anything seriously," Brian told CTV Newsnet.

He said if McLean did have a chance to fight back he would have.

"I don't think Tim is the type of person to take any crap from anyone," he said.

Meanwhile, friends of the victim quickly created a "R.I.P. Tim" tribute on the social networking website Facebook.

"I can't believe this is happening," wrote Leah Dryburgh of Winnipeg.

"Tim, you were the best guy ever. You didn't deserve this at all."

Pictures of McLean have also been picked up from the website.

A post-mortem on McLean's body will be conducted Friday at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. RCMP officials have not officially released the identity of the victim.

Meanwhile, many of passengers on the bus received counselling following the ordeal and have since returned home.

Frank Yeo, whose daughter was on the bus when the attack happened, said she's now trying to recover from the ordeal.

"Fortunately she didn't see full details head on but she saw enough that she's pretty traumatized," Yeo told CTV Newsnet on Friday.

Yeo said it's going to take a long time for many of the witnesses to recover.

"There were small children on the bus, there were a lot of people for who an event like this will just devastate them emotionally," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press