last link on the left › deadmonton

David Owen O'Donnell, 57, was stabbed to death September 25th, 2008.

O'Donnell was Edmonton's twenty-second homicide victim of the year.

Norma Elaine Janvier, 38, was charged with second-degree murder and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.

The investigation of Edmonton's twenty-second homicide of the year took place during a very busy night for police. There were four serious but separate stabbings within a six-hour time frame, beginning in the early evening of September 25th, 2008.

On the second major call of the night, just after 11:00 p.m., a woman who said she had just returned home to her corner third-floor suite at 4608 118 Avenue found her common-law husband stabbed multiple times in the back.

The 57-year-old man was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Trauma Centre where he died shortly after arrival.

At the time, police said they were looking for two male suspects after witnesses were interviewed.

"As far as the circumstances to what led up to the stabbing, apparently there were two males involved," Insp. Greg Alcorn said.

"I just know they are two males. That's all we have," Alcorn added. "Early indications are [the victim is] not someone we've been dealing with in the past."

Neighbours were first to identify the city's latest murder victim as David Owen O'Donnell. Police later issued a statement saying the man's death was the result of a domestic dispute.

O'Donnell's 38-year-old common-law wife was taken into custody to be interviewed by homicide detectives.

Also taken into custody was the woman's adult daughter. She was subsequently released.

"Our investigators quickly determined that this was a domestic dispute, and no other citizens were at risk" police chief Mike Boyd said while crediting officers.

An autopsy indicated O'Donnell died from blood loss due to a stab wound to the torso.

On September 29th, 2008 Norma Elaine Janvier, 38, was charged with second-degree murder and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.

Her first court appearance took place on the same day, with her next date set for October 27th, 2008.

O'Donnell, described as a man who was friendly with everyone, worked as a crane operator with Petro Canada. He came to Edmonton after working in Fort McMurray and had recently transferred to Leduc.

Neighours said O'Donnell lived in the third-floor apartment suite with his girlfriend, nicknamed Norma Jean. Some thought she was a former prostitute.

Samantha Heathcote, one of the managers of the apartment building, called O'Donnell a "nice man" who always helped the less fortunate.

He often offered homeless people and sex trade workers in the area sandwiches or invited them into his apartment to clean themselves up, giving some a safe place to sleep.

One thing he wouldn't do, Heathcote said, was give them money. She figured past experience motivated the man she knew for several years.

"He said he had to struggle when we was younger. He didn't have a rough life, but he had to work hard," she said. "He had a big heart. He was good spirited ... he was just a nice man."

Samantha's mother, Jackie Heathcote, knew O'Donnell through her daily visits to the apartment building to see her daughter.

He had no enemies and never forgot special occasions, she said. He gave his landlord and her husband a case of beer and a card on their birthdays.

"It's just too bad for Dave," she recalled with tears in her eyes. "I just hugged him on Wednesday."

Samantha said his neighbours will remember O'Donnell as a caring man who never seemed to be down.

"He will be remembered in my heart," she said. "He will."

"That's a loss to us around here because Dave, he was a great guy," echoed fellow apartment manger Dave said. "He was nice to everybody, and literally everybody."

deadmonton 2008 - david owen o'donnell