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Christopher Byron Lord, 33, was shot to death July 26th, 2008.

Lord was Edmonton's fifteenth homicide victim of the year.

Case status is open and active.

Police continue to investigate Edmonton's fifteenth murder of 2008.

At first, homicide detectives had to puzzle their way through a suspicious death involving a 33-year-old man who was dropped off at the Misericordia Hospital with life-threatening injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. The man died soon after arriving and police were later called in by medical staff.

The incident occurred early on the morning of July 26th, 2008 – but where it took place remained a mystery for several days.

No details were provided on who may have brought the man to hospital, but police were soon seen in the Terra Lossa neighbourhood scouring an area near 94th Avenue and 172nd Street. Investigators believe the man was shot there between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.

"We don't have a crime scene that we can narrow down to a specific corner or few feet, so what we're doing is we're taking a look at that entire area to try and narrow it down," said a police spokesman.

While attention was focused on a park, police asked area residents to come forward if they had seen or heard anything, or found something "out of the ordinary" in their yards (ie. a gun or shell casings).

Despite the matter having all the outward indications of a homicide, detectives investigated the case only as a suspicious death while waiting for autopsy results.

Later reports suggested the man had admitted himself to the medical facility, but police appealed to those who dropped the man off at the hospital to come forward.

Residents who spoke with police as a grid search was conducted of the park were asked if they had heard gunshots early on the morning of July 26th. They were also told investigators didn't believe the victim was from the area.

A day later, lead homicide Det. Pat McCormack told media that police had since received reports from residents that shots were heard at a larger park six blocks away near 176th Street and 95th Avenue.

"We were at a different area yesterday and we concluded our investigation there. Our investigation has brought us to this area. We're just moving along as the information is brought in and provided to us," McCormack said.

However, a search of the second park didn't yield signs of fresh blood or bullet casings ...

... but investigators focused on one corner of the site near 96th Avenue.

"We don't believe it occurred too deep in the park," McCormack said.

On July 28th, 2008 police released the results of an autopsy conducted and announced that 33-year-old Christopher Byron Lord died from blood loss due to a gunshot wound.

Lord was well known to police, who said the shooting was gang and drug related.

In Grande Prairie on June 10th, 2005, Lord was involved in a beating over a drug debt. In February 2008, he pleaded guilty to unlawful confinement.

He showed up while the crime was in progress and admitted in court that he watched over the victim during the assault.

When he received a six-month jail sentence, court heard that Lord had been taking steps to recover from a substance-abuse problem.

Married with children at the time, it was Lord's first conviction for a violent criminal matter.

Police said several persons of interest had been identified in connection with Lord's death, but charges had yet to be laid.

Investigators believed the shooting occurred in or around the second park near 176th Street.

Police asked those with information about the matter to contact Edmonton police at 780-423-4567, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.tipsubmit.com

Tips can also be text messaged. In Edmonton, text TIP250 + message and send to CRIMES (274637). In Northern Alberta, text TIP205 + message and send to CRIMES (274637).

The Edmonton Journal spoke with a friend of Lord's, Kristine Mathisen, who knew the man for more than 15 years. Lord had two sons and talked about them often.

"He loved them very much," Mathisen said. "As a man, and as a father, he was extremely good-hearted."

Mathisen wanted Lord to be remembered as a loving son and a father, rather than just another shooting victim.

"Good people do do bad things," she reflected.

Lord also had two sisters and a brother. And he loved bikes, rock bands and, especially, his kids, Mathisen said.

"He left so many things," she said. "I just wish he would have had the strength to maybe try more often to do the things that he loved."

The Journal also found a possible ear-witness to the shooting. Barbara Partridge had woken to the sound of gunshots and a woman's scream.

"The scream was very scary," Partridge said.

She bolted out of bed and went to the window, but didn't see anything.

The Edmonton Police Service web site entry for Christopher Byron Lord can be seen here.

That Christopher Byron Lord was a name well known to police likely raised eyebrows among local media watchers.

For those concerned, crime reporter Byron Christopher remains very much alive and is doing well.

deadmonton 2008 - christopher byron lord