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*** Revised ***

The January 2009 death of a seven-year-old boy was classified a homicide in February 2011. The Edmonton Police Service is including the case in its numbers for that year in order to comply with Statistics Canada standards.

Edmonton's 2009 murder meter officially rests at 27, the lowest annual total since 2003 when the city tallied just 17 deaths.

There were 28 homicides in 2004, 39 in 2005 (the city's all-time one-year murder record), 36 in 2006, 33 in 2007 and 35 in 2008.

One veteran police officer suggested the year's low murder rate was primarily a reflection of the skills of emergency medical workers – read more »

2009 ended with just nine investigations still ongoing, charges laid in 15 and not laid in two. There was also one police-involved death, and the disposition of several suspicious death cases had yet to be resolved.

In an interview with the Edmonton Sun, homicide section leaders said the year's high case clearance rate of 67% was the result of innovation in how the city's murders are investigated.

Their comments came after media coverage of a Statistics Canada report that showed the Edmonton Police Service had one of lowest serious crime clearance rates in the country – read more »

When homicide detectives were called out in 2009 a new approach was implemented. Information gathered was quickly shared with all units, from general patrol officers to gang and drug section members.


Staff Sgt. Lorne Pubantz	Staff Sgt. Bill Spinks

"We're fully involving the entire police service at the front end," Staff Sgt. Lorne Pubantz explained. "History tells us that there's so much to learn in the first 72 hours. That's the critical time."

"We've had a lot of success with it," Staff Sgt. Bill Spinks echoed.

"The numbers don't necessarily show it, but we're not just investigating homicides," he added, noting that in addition to the year's 27 homicides the 17-member unit investigated 40 other deaths which they determined to be non-criminal (such as suicides and accidents). The unit was also involved in several hit-and-run investigations.

Police have said about 70% of all homicide victims have criminal histories, suggesting a clean lifestyle greatly reduces the risk of suffering a violent death.

But just because someone has a checkered past or lives a high-risk lifestyle, it doesn't mean that they deserve to die, Pubantz said.

"It doesn't change the way we investigate them. Make no mistake about it," he clarified. "Nobody deserves to have their life taken away from them, especially in a criminal manner.

"We don't forget that every death needs to be solved – that's our goal."

Despite a 67% homicide "solve rate," there was a late-year headline that stirred up a hornet's nest.

A Statistics Canada study, released mid-December, compared police department 2008 "clearance rates" across the country. The report contrasted Edmonton's rate of 29.6% – the lowest of any police force in Alberta – against Calgary's 34.5% and the national average of 37.6%.

To make matters worse, the annual report showed Edmonton spent more on policing than any other jurisdiction in the province at a cost of $305 per capital with one police officer for every 546 people. In comparison, Calgary spent $265 per capita, with one police officer for every 628 people.

The Edmonton Police Commission demanded answers and summoned Chief Mike Boyd for an accounting at their next meeting held at City Hall – read more »

Boyd consults with Insp. Tony Harder

"The city of Edmonton is a safe city," Boyd told the commission. "These reports generated some unfair coverage of the great work that's being done in the city of Edmonton.

"What we ask for is responsibility from those receiving these reports in how they portray this information. Taken out of context, this information has done a great disservice to the reputation of the city of Edmonton and the Edmonton Police Service."

The problem, Boyd explained, was that Statistics Canada used a "weighted" system, giving serious crimes like murder and assault a larger impact on the rating than petty theft.

Edmonton has had more serious crime than Calgary, Boyd said, therefore skewing the clearance rate.

The chief added that Edmonton remained a popular destination for convicts after they're released from jail, and that the city housed a large number of mentally ill and drug-addicted homeless people.

A lot of repeat offenders "have a large impact on police resources. This is a very complex issue of demographics and sociographics," Boyd said.

In addition, Edmonton police have a greater load than their Calgary counterparts because they've had to deal with crimes committed by people who came into the city from surrounding areas.

Boyd reached back to the 2006 Stanley Cup riots on Whyte Avenue when nearly half of the people arrested were from neighbouring communities.

"We actually, in some ways, are policing a region, but not all the people are paying taxes contributing to the cost of policing [in Edmonton]," he said.

Boyd said his force's statisticians don't add weight to their clearance rates. "We go by the actual numbers. We are always looking to improve our clearance rate, however it's counted.

"We are putting everything we have into tracking, monitoring, managing and investigating crime," Boyd said. "When crimes happen, we investigate and attempt to solve that crime."

Although he didn't have the numbers ready for commissioners, Boyd said the 2009 case-by-case clearance rate was higher than 2008 and the department would like to see it increase five per cent in 2010.

Boyd also provided that there were a high number of officers on the front lines who had less than five years experience, and that the longer they serve, the more adept they would become at solving crime. He added that the department was planning to increase the total number of detectives and to provide them with better training.

About the per capita spending figures, Boyd said it was unfair to compare the province's two major cities since Edmonton's budget included two major services – 911 dispatch and vehicle purchases – that Calgary's did not. There may also be differences in accounting practices, he said.

"I don't put a lot of stock in those statistics," Tony Simioni, president of the Edmonton Police Association, said.

"All those statistics police departments keep, it's hard to know if you're comparing apples to oranges or apples to apples.

"[Comparable rates] are very difficult to pin down, except if you're dealing with the same interpretation across all cities, which you're not."

Simioni said that Alberta has the lowest ratio of officers to citizens.

"We are resource-starved. There are some areas of the service that are below where they need to be. The average detective or officer is carrying more files than other provinces, specifically," he said.

A follow-up story provided better news.

The counterspin came from crime stats that indicated some of Edmonton's rougher neighbourhoods faced fewer crimes in 2009. Police were crediting a greater street presence for the change.

However, publication of the data also created its own problems – read more »

"Visibility is everything downtown. With more boots on the street, you're certainly going to see that decrease," downtown division Staff Sgt. Regan James told the Edmonton Sun.

"My sense is that recently with the advent of more and more beat members, we're seeing a decrease in crimes, certainly violent crimes," James said.

"Certainly over the last year or so, we've employed a lot more new strategies – analysts, beat members, neighbourhood empowerment teams – a team approach."

Average citizens were also made part of the process after the launch earlier in 2009 of the Edmonton police Neighborhood Crime Mapping Website. Police also use the tool to monitor activity in crime hot spots.

"Kind of trying to put [crime] out before it gets started," James said.

Examples cited in the Sun story published December 21st suggested several inner-city neighbourhoods saw a downturn in the reporting of crime.

Police were encouraged, citing increased numbers of beat cops to explain the crime-rate reduction. With more officers being added to the street teams in 2010 it was hoped a greater effect would be noticed.

The Edmonton Sun's publication of details taken from the Edmonton Police Service Neighborhood Crime Mapping Website caught the attention of local software developer and social media advocate Mack D. Male.

Male is a supporter of the open data movement which promotes the belief that information should be freely available to everyone, without restriction (his post endorsing Open Edmonton can be seen here).

When Edmonton police first launched the crime mapping tool in July 2009 it carried a disclaimer explicitly limiting its use (note item #3).

Male took up the issue of further use of the data with Edmonton police and their response can be seen here.

After publication of the Sun story, Male again contacted Edmonton police who replied that

The Edmonton Sun did not have the EPS' permission to use the information from the Crime Mapping website and the EPS is dealing directly with the Edmonton Sun in relation to this.

In his post Edmonton Sun violates the EPS Crime Map Terms of Use, Male revealed his annoyance with EPS policy and urged the service "to change it."

In the meantime, the original Edmonton Sun story remains online and can be read here.

Regarding cause of death in 2009, knives were used in 11 murders while guns were used in eight. Blunt force trauma figured in two homicides, and in six cases the cause of death was either withheld (for investigative purposes), was pending further determination, or was unknown.

Two murder-suicides also figured in the year's tally.

The true number of murders involving drugs and/or gangs remains unclear until suspects have either been identified, arrested, charged or tried – read more »

As cases were being dealt with, police identified two homicides as having definite drug or gang ties and five murders had suspected or unconfirmed ties.

Of the city's 27 homicides, in only nine cases was it determined the victim and the killer were known to each other (including an aunt, a son-in-law, a husband and a father in separate incidents). In five cases the parties were likely known to each other. However, those numbers may change as progress is made in the year's remaining outstanding cases.

Mugging and/robbery was figured to be a motive in six cases, including one kidnapping and possibly two extortion attempts. Six murders were likely to be random in nature.

Eight murders took place inside a residence, one took place in a car, while fifteen took place on the street or in public spaces, including the Avenue of Nations (three), Heritage Park, behind a synagogue, in a schoolyard, and at a transit stop (across from the MacDonald Hotel).

The year's youngest victim was four years old; the oldest 64. The average age was just over 30.

Of the 20 people charged, four were young offenders. In three cases, two people were charged with murder, and in one case there were three.

Females accounted for four of the year's 27 homicide victims, with only one being charged. Of note was that the Somali community lost another three young men to violence, bringing the two-year total to seven. Only one murder was thought to be tied to the sex trade.

April (with four homicides in five days), July, and October were the deadliest months of the year with four murders each. There were no killings in August, the middle of an 11-week murder-free period that lasted from July 10th through to September 25th.

Finally, the last name of five of the year's murder victims began with the letter H.

Note: while the statistics cited above may be of interest to analysts and armchair detectives, it remains unproven that those responsible for the city's annual death toll have ever consulted public records before committing their acts.

Case-by-case, the Last Link on the Left takes a look back at 2009 ... life and death on Edmonton's streets.

The City | Cold Cases & Old Cases | The Surrounding Metro Area
RCMP Alberta Homicides

--- related pages ---
homicide 2010 | homicide 2008 | homicide 2007

THE CITY

It took police just over two weeks before they realised they were dealing with the first Edmonton murder case of the year. By the time they made that determination, two others had lost their lives.

#3 - Four-year-old Girl

Emergency medical staff were called January 13th to a home near 167th Street and 81st Avenue after a report of a child suffering cardiac arrest came in. Sixteen days later police announced they had laid charges of second-degree murder, criminal negligence causing death, and failing to provide the necessities of life against a 24-year-old woman – the four-year-old's aunt. Extensive autopsy testing determined the child died of cranial trauma » full details »

While police were still puzzling their way through the death of the four-year-old girl, homicide detectives were called out to back-to-back shootings in a matter unofficially thought to be one of mistaken identity – at least for one man.

In the first case, a man on a parking lot fired shots into a black SUV. In the second, a person inside a black SUV fired shots into a man on a street. Police later said the victims, Cody Lee Johnson and Fernando Alberto Vasquez, were known to each other through a drug connection and likely died because of a decal.

#1 - Cody Lee Johnson

The first call came in at about 11:23 p.m. January 20th after a black Cadillac Escalade SUV slammed into a house at 7707 156 Street and caught fire. Paramedics, thinking they were responding to a simple collision call, quickly realised they had something more serious on their hands. 29-year-old Cody Lee Johnson had been shot in the neck and in the upper torso » full details »

#2 - Fernando Alberto Vasquez

The second call came in 45 minutes later when 24-year-old Fernando Alberto Vasquez was found gunned down and lying face-up in a pool of blood on McAllister Loop in the city's southwest. What connected the two men was the Cadillac with the distinctive rear window decal – sold by Vasquez to Johnson just prior to their deaths. Police released images of a person of interest in the Vasquez homicide but no arrests have been made in either case » full details »

#4 - Melvin Fred Beaulieu

On February 12th a drinking session attended by four or five people in a basement suite at 12725 81 Street was underway when the party mood suddenly turned sour. A fight broke out between two men and 31-year-old Melvin Fred Beaulieu died of a stab wound the chest. A person of interest known to Beaulieu was taken into custody at the scene and later released. And while police said they were not looking for any other suspects, no one has been charged » full details »

#5 - Landis Tyson Stick

The infamous Avenue of Nations claimed another life – the 17th since 2004. By year's end two more would perish along the 20-block strip. On February 19th Landis Tyson Stick, 24, of Onion Lake, Saskatchewan was found dead from a stab wound in front of an apartment building at 10720 104 Street. While police and inner-city agencies said Stick was a street regular, no one from his family seemed to know what he was doing in Edmonton. No suspects have been identified » full details »

#6 - Brendan Malcolm McNaughton

Police were attending to an unrelated matter near 182nd Street and 89th Avenue on February 21st when a woman informed an officer of an injured man lying on the ground. By the time EMS arrived, 21-year-old Brendan Malcolm McNaughton was pronounced dead at the scene having suffered stab wounds. Investigators figure an earlier altercation at a nearby bar precipitated the stabbing and they quickly arrested two men, charging one with second-degree murder and numerous weapons offences. A third man wanted later turned himself in to police » full details »

#7 - Treana Theresa Carlson

Family violence was thought to be behind the April 22nd murder of 64-year-old Treana Theresa Carlson. The grandmother died of head trauma inside her home at 11914 81 Street. Police wasted no time in laying a first-degree murder charge against the woman's son-in-law » full details »

#8 - Duane Albert McArthur

Two botched armed robbery attempts resulted in a murder-suicide on April 23rd. Police were first called to the Bella Tonic spa on Millbourne Road East after reports of shots fired came in. Moments later another call came in about an armed robbery at the Millbourne Mall Liquor Store. When police arrived at the liquor store a man with a gun in his hand come out, saw the officers, went back into the store, then came out again, took a swig from a bottle ... and shot himself. His body fell into the store's doorway. Back at the spa, paramedics found 44-year-old Duane Albert McArthur dead from a gunshot wound » full details »

#9 - 17-year-old Male

A brawl between two groups of teens outside apartment buildings near 7227 147 Avenue on April 25th resulted in numerous calls to police. Witnesses reported that baseball bats and knives were involved. By the time the dust had settled a 17-year-old male had died of a stab wound and a 16-year-old male was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and possession of an offensive weapon. The Youth Criminal Justice Act prevented the release of additional information » full details »

#10 - Mahamed Farah Khalif

While homicide detectives were dealing with their fourth case in five days, Edmonton's Somali community were dealing with the fifth murder of one of their own in eight months. On April 26th 20-year-old Mahamed Farah Khalif was found shot to death in Hermitage Park, the final chapter in a robbery-abduction that involved another man who managed to escape by diving into a pond. Two men were each charged with first-degree murder along with robbery and kidnapping, with one man being charged with an additional 17 weapons-related offences » full details »

#11 - Shawn Michael Price

The year's only officer-involved death took place on May 10th when 36-year-old Shawn Michael Price was shot by police as they were investigating a robbery complaint. Price, wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, had tried to turn himself in to police 2 1/2 weeks before but was told to come back to headquarters during office hours. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team faced a challenge sorting out the various and sometimes conflicting police and witness accounts » full details »

#12 - Curtis Todd Osterlund

It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time – a school parking lot across from Londonderry Mall late in the evening of June 12th. 39-year-old Curtis Todd Osterlund was grabbing a smoke when he was stabbed to death after being approached by three people who police think were out to mug him. A 16-year-old male juvenile, later found out to be a ward of the province, was charged with second-degree murder » full details »

#13 - Keith Goddard

It seemed a house party got out of hand early June 27th in a basement suite at 11903 49 Street, leaving 23-year-old Keith Goddard dead. Police issued arrest warrants for three men, taking the unusual step of identifying a young offender under a special provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. While the 17-year-old turned himself in right away, it was thought only after a front-page caution that the two wanted men decided to face the music. All three were charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault » full details »

#14 - Shane Edward Howarth

Minutes after Canada Day fireworks lit the sky, blood covered the sidewalk in front of the Edmonton Transit stop near Telus Plaza. According to some of the two-dozen witnesses interviewed, one man was "whacked by something" on the head while 42-year-old Shane Edward Howarth was fatally stabbed and pushed under a bus. Police released images of four persons of interest, taken from surveillance cameras in the area. Three weeks later police charged a man, also 42, with second-degree murder and possession of an offensive weapon » full details »

#15 - Selamawit Negasi

"We've started this a little bit backwards," the head of the Edmonton police homicide section said. "We received information from a man who came to the police who had said that he had killed a person." When police checked the man's car, parked outside headquarters, they found parts of the dismembered body of 46-year-old Selamawit Negasi in the trunk. The woman's husband was charged with second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a body in connection with the July 5th death. The couple's children were expected to be called as witnesses » full details »

#17 - Preshendra Pillay

It took police six weeks to confirm that the death of 40-year-old Preshendra Pillay was a homicide. Late July 7th, Pillay was found injured, laying in the front entry of an apartment building near 79th Avenue and 71st Street. The man, known for frequenting a nearby strip club "for the food," died the next morning. Police later charged two men with second-degree murder, robbery, and credit card fraud. One of the men previously had a charge of first-degree murder stayed against him in connection with another matter back in 1998 » full details »

#16 - Floyd James Horvath

The Avenue of Nations claimed another life after a pair of men on a mugging spree early July 10th ran into a Good Samiratan who fought back. Unfortunately for 38-year-old Floyd James Horvath, a good deed was no match for a sharp blade. The next day two men, including a 15-year-old, were each charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, and robbery. Police credit witness information given to responding officers for the quick arrests » full details »

#18 - Alfred Hudson

An inner-city park was the scene of the city's first murder after an 11-week dry spell. Late September 25th a drinking party was underway in Mary Burlie Park, at 10465 97 Street north of the Edmonton Remand Centre, when a fight broke out over a can of beer. As a result, 40-year-old Alfred Hudson ended up stabbed to death. Witnesses saw two men and a woman flee the scene. Police issued vague descriptions but failed to turn up suspects » full details »

#19 - Father-son Murder-suicide

A man's struggle with his son's autism was thought to be behind the city's nineteenth homicide case of the year. After a woman couldn't reach her husband on September 27th, police were dispatched to a north-end home where they found the bodies of two family members in the same room in the basement. The medical examiner later confirmed the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide. Police have closed their investigation » full details »

#20 - Michelle Lee Hadwen

At first police didn't know what they were dealing with. On October 6th, the same day a men fell from a sixth-floor balcony (case still under review) and after a spate of fatal hit and runs, a woman so severely injured she was first thought to be dead was found near an alley at 7913 121 Avenue. Two days later, 37-year-old Michelle Lee Hadwen died and an autopsy determined that investigators were dealing with a homicide and not a vehicle collision. The case remains unsolved » full details »

#21 - Sara Ann Sanders

On October 15th, 28-year-old Sara Ann Sanders was found dead in her apartment at 9825 103 Street with an unheard message concerning her lost BlackBerry on her answering machine. Without revealing why, police quickly narrowed their focus on a London, Ontario man with a shady past who was thought to have taken off to Vancouver. An alert citizen recognised the wanted man from media coverage and an arrest was made in Loon Lake, Saskatchewan. A charge of second-degree murder was laid » full details »

#22 - Jeremie Auger

A lover's triangle, involving a baby, a current girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend, made for a deadly mix early October 17th. Soon after 22-year-old Jeremie Auger was found bleeding to death on the front step of a home at 11343 54 Street police arrested the ex-boyfriend and charged him with second-degree murder. When the matter comes to court, it will take the wisdom of Solomon to sort things out » full details »

#23 - Edward (Eddy) Ronald Wilson

A stray warning shot fired into the floor of a west-end townhouse found the head of 22-year-old Edward (Eddy) Ronald Wilson – sitting in the basement with his sister. The October 22nd shooting was first thought to be part of a dispute between rival gangs as both Wilson and the man who shot him were known to police. Manslaughter and extortion charges were laid ... and the rest of the story remains to be told in court » full details »

#24 - Abdulaziz Osman Isse

The local Somali death toll continued with the discovery of a body behind a synagogue at 131 Wolf Willow Road early November 12th. Staff discovered 21-year-old Abdulaziz Osman Isse lying face-down in plain view beside a dumpster after he had been shot – the hallmarks of a "message murder." Isse was known to police in Fort McMurray and was facing charges in Toronto ... but investigators remain puzzled as to why he ended up dead in Edmonton » full details »

#25 - Robleh Ali Mohamed

The Somali community barely had time to catch their breath when 17 days later 23-year-old Robleh Ali Mohamed caught a bullet in the head while sitting in his Grand Marquis behind a laundromat at 10610 105 Street. Witnesses said three men carried out the broad-daylight execution-style deed on November 29th and then disappeared into thin air, taking with them the answer to why so many Somali men are dying on Edmonton streets – a question even the CBC took on » full details »

#26 - Melvin Edward Hansen

On December 12th, in the middle of a record-shattering cold snap, the body of 21-year-old Melvin Edward Hansen was found frozen in the front yard of home at 9012 130 Avenue. It took police three days to determine Hansen's death was a homicide and possibly drug-related, something that didn't sit well with family who said he was raised by his uncle – a pastor » full details »

#27 - Jonathan Blaine Nepoose

A former soldier in the Redd Alert First Nations gang, 29-year-old Jonathan Blaine Nepoose made the mistake of keeping the wrong company late December 14th. A few hours into a rowdy drinking party, what detectives called "a personal matter" led to him being stabbed in a rooming house at 9644 105A Avenue. Police gave one of the partygoers a ride ... to headquarters, where they charged him with second-degree murder » full details »

Seven-year-old Boy

On January 9th, 2009, police and the Medical Examiner's Office investigated the death of a seven-year-old boy who died in a home in southwest Edmonton. Several months after the boy's death, police received new information which caused homicide detectives to reopen the case.

Investigators found evidence that warranted charges being laid against the caregiver who was present when the child died in his home. Renee Marie Boudreau, 31, was charged on February 17th, 2011, with manslaughter, mischief endangering life, failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death » full details »

Statistics Canada regulations required Edmonton police to include the boy's death as part of their 2011 homicide count.

COLD CASES & OLD CASES

1987 - Lillian Berube

At the time, it was one of Edmonton's most shocking homicides. 83-year-old Lillian Berube was viciously beaten during a robbery inside her Norwood home on August 27th, 1987. She died six days later. Rewards were offered and FBI profilers were brought in ... but the case went cold. Twenty-two years later a DNA match produced a suspect – who was already in custody, cooling his heels in a British Columbia jail » full details »

2008 - Ross Dwayne Firby

At about 1:30 a.m. on October 25th, 2008 patrol officers were called to an altercation at 1178 Hooke Road. 46-year-old Ross Dwayne Firby had been stabbed and was pronounced dead by paramedics. Police arrested the man's 36-year-old former girlfriend at the scene. She was released after being interviewed by homicide detectives. One year and a day after Firby's death, police announced that Deanna Choponis had been charged with second-degree murder » full details »

THE SURROUNDING METRO AREA

The Strathcona County Double Homicide

A careless driving investigation initiated by Edmonton police led to the discovery of two dead bodies on a property east of Ardrossan in Strathcona County. On June 1st, two 14-year-olds were caught driving a stolen truck that belonged to 68-year-old Baldur "Barry" Boenke. When RCMP went to check with Boenke they found him lying dead outside a trailer on his acreage. Inside the trailer was 50-year-old Susan Trudel (Anderson), also dead.

Police charged one teen with two counts of first-degree murder, the other with two counts of accessory after the fact to murder. Then came 60 additional charges against the pair, including break and enter, theft, possession of stolen property, possessing tools for the purpose of breaking in, and unlawfully using an imitation firearm. Later in the year, charges against the second teen were upgraded to two counts of first-degree murder.

The two teens were wards of the province and runaways from a nearby Bosco Homes treatment facility. A community uprising, coupled with internal changes, led to Bosco shutting down the troubled operation by year's end. Meanwhile, the two teens made numerous court appearances » full details »

Blaine Arthur McNally

The wisdom of Solomon will also have to be drawn upon to sort out exactly what happened the night of July 26th in Sherwood Park. Text messages, cheap beer, ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends and testosterone made for a deadly mix that resulted in 18-year-old Blaine Arthur McNally getting stabbed in the chest.

A man delivering newspapers made the news after spotting a man fleeing the scene. RCMP caught up to an 18-year-old and charged him with first-degree murder, suggesting McNally's death may have been planned » full details »

RCMP Alberta Homicides

Like their counterparts in the provincial capital, Alberta RCMP also enjoyed a high solve rate in the 39 murders they investigated.

Clearing 82% of the cases they handled in 2009 likely reflected the types of homicides that took place outside major urban centres.

"It just is really troubling to see that 16 of the 39 homicides include some kind of family relationship," RCMP media officer Cpl. Wayne A. Oakes told the Edmonton Journal.

In a double-murder suicide in Grande Cache on May 5th, Kerry Saltel killed his wife Gail and 17-year-old daughter Erika.

A triple murder-suicide claimed the lives of four family members from three generations on July 26th near Slave Lake. Ian Paget turned a gun on himself after he killed his wife Joan Paget, their daughter Jolene Eliuk and their nine-year-old granddaughter, Misty Eliuk.

"We have a great number of very skilled and dedicated resources that do work with a number of community groups trying to address family violence," Oakes said.

"Because of the fact that so much of what occurs in a domestic relationship happens behind closed doors, it is extremely difficult to bring in the resources those people need."

In contrast, RCMP only dealt with three homicides thought to be drug or gang-related, traditionally difficult cases to crack.

"Quite frequently when you have gang-related homicides there is a much greater reluctance for those involved to co-operate with investigations," Oakes said.

"It was also a trend in our two larger municipal centers. So that's something that was a very positive trend throughout 2009 and something we hope will continue in 2010."

2009's tally of 39 murders is a sharp drop from the decade-high mark of 53 set the previous year.

Bisecting the province at Wetaskiwin, Oakes said 28 homicides occurred in northern Alberta, with 11 south.

As murder numbers by region fluctuate greatly from year to year, Oakes said there appeared to be no pattern behind the higher northern homicide rate.

Death by gunshot figured in 15 homicides, followed by 11 stabbings and nine physical assaults.

RCMP issued details of their province-wide 2009 homicide investigations in a release to media – read more »

During 2009, RCMP Serious Crimes Branch investigated 39 homicides in RCMP jurisdictions throughout Alberta. In 2008, RCMP conducted 53 homicide investigations. Of the 39 homicides, 32 are considered to be solved, providing a current clearance rate of 82%.

The RCMP investigates suspicious deaths as homicides even when the circumstances do not provide direct evidence of a homicide at the time of the occurrence. In cases involving suspicious deaths the Medical Examiner is responsible for a number of key factors including the positive identification of the deceased along with determining the manner and cause of death.

While law enforcement agencies treat suspicious deaths as homicide investigations, it is the Medical Examiner who is responsible for classifying a death as a homicide. RCMP investigators utilize major case management principles, a proven investigational technique used to ensure that no aspects of evidence or potential witnesses are overlooked, when investigating suspicious deaths.

In 2009, the RCMP identified 16 of the 39 homicides resulted from domestic violence. This included a wide range of family relationships well beyond the context of intimate partners. Of the 39 homicides in 2009, six deaths involved an intimate partner relationship. Circumstances lead investigators to believe all six were a result of a man killing his spouse or intimate partner.

In 2008, RCMP also investigated six intimate partner homicides where it is believed that three men killed their partners and three women also killed their partners. Additionally, 12 of the 2009 homicides involved persons who would be described as known to or an acquaintance of the deceased.

The RCMP's Serious Crimes Branch is responsible for providing either a lead investigative role or support role in homicide investigations occurring in RCMP policed jurisdictions throughout the province. Investigators also work closely with our various policing partners when circumstances afford the opportunity to provide assistance, or to share skills and resources.

In 2009, the branch was comprised of investigators situated throughout the province in various Major Crimes Units, provincial and municipal General Investigation Sections and Project KARE.

In 2009, as Alberta's Provincial Police Service and in some communities the Municipal Police Service, RCMP "K" Division served a largely rural population of about 1,621,457 people or 44.6% of the Alberta population.

2009 Homicide Investigations Synopsis

#1 - January 26, 2009: Jonathon Nickason; Evansburg
#2 - February 01, 2009: Jerry Alfred Houle; Saddle Lake
#3 - February 04, 2009: Teagan Klein; Red Deer
#4 - February 08, 2009: Linda Marie Piercy; Fort Saskatchewan
#5 - February 17, 2009: Sylvester Laboucan; Peace River
#6 - February 23, 2009: Deborah Volker; Three Hills
#7 - February 23, 2009: Darryl Domstad; Wetaskiwin
#8 - February 25, 2009: Howard Lawrence Soto; Grande Prairie
#9 - March 09, 2009: Edward Makaruk; Strathmore
#10 - March 10, 2009: Danny Louis Quinney; Saddle Lake
#11 - April 02, 2009: Jeffrey Dennehy; Samson First Nation
#12 - April 05, 2009: Brandon Prevey; Red Deer
#13 - April 17, 2009: Leonard Lightfoot; Rocky Mountain House
#14 - April 20, 2009: Robert Alexander Thomas; Hinton
#15 - April 30, 2009: Jessica Ryan Martel; Morinville
#16 - April 30, 2009: Quentin Daniel Hunter; Saddle Lake
#17 - May 05, 2009: Angela Shaw; Fort McLeod
#18 - May 05, 2009: Gail Maureen Saltel; Grande Cache
#19 - May 05, 2009: Erika Saltel; Grande Cache
#20 - June 01, 2009: Susan Trudel; Strathcona County
#21 - June 01, 2009: Baldur (Barry) Boenke; Strathcona County
#22 - June 27, 2009: Lyle Scott Madge; Raymond
#23 - July 01, 2009: Dylan Netowastenum; Red Earth Creek
#24 - July 26, 2009: Joan Hanson; Slave Lake
#25 - July 26, 2009: Jolene Eliuk; Slave Lake
#26 - July 26, 2009: Misty Eliuk; Slave Lake
#27 - July 26, 2009: Blaine Arthur McNally; Strathcona County
#28 - August 27, 2009: Baby Doe*; High Prairie
#29 - August 28, 2009: Michael Joseph McCarthy; Boyle
#30 - August 28, 2009: Ronald Greschuk; Whitecourt
#31 - August 30, 2009: Solomon Ahnassay; Assumption
#32 - September 11, 2009: George Steven English; Crowsnest Pass
#33 - September 23, 2009: McFinn Paddy; Fort McMurray
#34 - November 12, 2009: John Daniel Terris; Brooks
#35 - November 14, 2009: Male youth*; High Level
#36 - November 19, 2009: Adult female*; High Level
#37 - December 01, 2009: Child*; Grande Prairie
#38 - December 03, 2009: Romeo Lessard Alook; Red Earth Creek
#39 - December 21, 2009: Hector Lorne Cardinal; Lac La Biche

* Name not disclosable

Homicides 2000 - 2009

Cause of Death

Contributing Factors / Clearance rates

--- related pages ---
homicide 2010 | homicide 2008 | homicide 2007

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homicide 2009: life and death on Edmonton's streets