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Rajpinder Kaur Sehmbi, 29, was shot dead on July 10th, 2010.

Sehmbi was Edmonton's fourteenth homicide victim of the year.

Tirth Sehmbi, 36, was initially charged with first-degree murder due to a clerical error. An amended charge of second-degree murder was later entered.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) continues to investigate after a woman's body was found inside a Mill Woods home and an RCMP officer was arrested by Edmonton police.

Shortly after 4:00 a.m. Saturday, July 10th, residents near a home at 44 Jefferson Road reported hearing screams followed by five to eight loud "cracks."

Police soon arrived and found the body of a woman inside a two-storey home that had a "For Sale" sign out front.

At about 5:30 a.m., a man was taken into custody at a different location. Police did not say where.

News of the event came to light when ASIRT announced it was investigating a homicide that involved an off-duty RCMP officer. Neither the officer or the victim was immediately identified.

At a pair of media availabilities Saturday afternoon, additional details emerged. The victim and the RCMP member were married and the homicide took place inside what was referred to as the family home.

The couple had two children who weren't in the residence at the time.

The 36-year-old RCMP officer had been a member of the force for about seven years. The couple had lived in the Mill Woods home for about a year but had recently separated after a nine-year marriage.

Police were challenged with notifying the victim's next of kin, most of whom lived overseas.

It was reported the officer in custody was a constable who had worked the traffic unit out of the Stony Plain detachment for about three years. The victim was described as being of East Indian descent.

Early Sunday it was announced that ASIRT had charged Tirth Sehmbi with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife.

Sehmbi made his first court appearance on Monday.

Unshaven, wearing leg shackles and a blue prison jumpsuit, Sehmbi appeared confused – not knowing whether to sit or stand in the prisoner's box.

The RCMP officer showed little emotion as he was led in and out of the courtroom. He remained quiet with his hands folded during the charging process.

The appearance took about twenty seconds as defence lawyer Mike Danyluik was promptly granted a request to have the matter put over. An election and plea was expected at his next appearance which was set for August 12th, 2010.

Crown prosecutor Carrie Sharpe said the court mistakenly charged Sehmbi with first-degree murder due to a clerical oversight.

"The information that was sworn and appeared in court this morning clearly had a typo or typographical error on it and he was charged with first-degree murder," ASIRT executive director Clifton Purvis explained.

"We will have a new information sworn and put in court and we will proceed on the basis that it's a second-degree murder charge."

The charge was later amended.

Sehmbi will remain in segregated custody within the Edmonton Remand Centre until his next court date.

The only family member present in the near-empty courtroom was Tirth's uncle. He declined comment when asked by media.

RCMP said Sehmbi was now suspended with pay with that condition subject to further review.

Although the woman had already been identified through media, ASIRT confirmed Tuesday the victim's identity as 29-year-old Rajpinder Kaur Sehmbi.

"The autopsy is concluded and I can confirm that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds," ASIRT executive director Clifton Purvis stated.

Purvis declined further comment, saying the investigation was ongoing.

Police also did not indicate if the murder weapon used was Tirth Sehmbi's RCMP service revolver or if the woman sustained other injuries.

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deadmonton 2010 - rajpinder kaur sehmbi