Apichat Sudsaneh, 37, was stabbed to death on June 6th, 2010.
Sudsaneh was Edmonton's eighth homicide victim of the year.
Michael John Stewart, 21, was charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of robbery, one count of possession of a weapon and three breaches from Newfoundland.
Kyle Anthony Brooks, 18, was charged with one count of robbery and one count of assault.
arrests made
Police continue to investigate Edmonton's eighth homicide of the year after a man was stabbed defending friends.
At about 1:00 a.m. June 6th, 2010, two men left a house party at multi-unit dwelling at 9849 80 Avenue and were on their way to a nearby convenience store when they ran into a group of five or six males.
A confrontation took place, and as they were returning to the house party the two men were attacked.
It was then a member of the house party witnessed the assault and stepped in. Unfortunately, that good deed was met by a knife.
Area residents said they heard an argument in a foreign language, then "leave him alone" and later, "he's been stabbed" in English.
The man was taken to the University of Alberta Hospital where he died from what police believe was a stab wound.
While members of the house party were cooperative, investigators were challenged with a language barrier. Those associated with the victims of the attack were foreign workers from Thailand and don't speak English. A translator was later brought in to assist.
At first, police had a limited idea of who the suspects may be, describing them as white males of average height and weight and about 20 years of age.
"Somebody probably knows this marauding group of people," veteran homicide detective Bill Clark said, adding the group may have accosted others in the area.
Clark urged anyone who may have seen anything to contact police.
Before details regarding the victim were officially released, friends identified him as Apichat Sudsaneh – read more »
"I can't believe it happened," friend Wayne Moorhead told media.
"What kind of people live in this city now?"
Moorhead said Apichat was single and had been working in Alberta as a welder. His work contract had just ended and he was set to make arrangements to return home to his native Thailand later in the week.
"He was a great guy. He was always telling jokes and making people laugh."
Apichat had left his own going-away party to buy beer when he was attacked, Moorhead said.
It later emerged that Susdsaneh had been recruited from Thailand in September 2008 by Thermo Design Engineering Ltd. During his time with the engineering and fabrication company, Apichat acquired a journeyman inter-provincial certificate and other trade accreditations.
The firm issued a statement paying tribute to their worker's abilities:
"Apichat will be missed by all of us at TDE, and especially those who grew close to him from the shop floor, and especially the afternoon shift.
"Apichat was very proficient at his job and his quality and productivity were outstanding.
"What is particularly devastating, on the evening he was killed, Apichat was celebrating the completion of his work assignment and his stay in Canada as he was to return to his homeland of Thailand," TDE said.
As Sudsaneh was fluent in English, TDE often had him assist fellow foreign workers from Thailand. His co-workers said he was a good-natured man who had been sending money home to his mother in his native country.
TDE said it was working with the local Thai community to provide assistance and to follow the wishes of Sudsaneh's family for funeral arrangements, helping to to return his body home.
Alberta Thai Association spokesman Naamta Winner said Sudsaneh often volunteered for events the group was involved in, such as Heritage Days. She also said Sudsaneh regularly attended services at the Thai temple.
He will be missed, Winner said, barely holding back tears.
Sudsaneh lived in an apartment near where he was stabbed.
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Twelve hours after the assault, homicide detective Bill Clark made himself available to media for comment. He didn't disappoint – read more »
"Well, I mean I think it's upsetting ..." Clark said of the murder.
"We are a big city and we have some big-city problems here, but this is a bunch of thugs walking the neighbourhood is what this is.
"And in order to put an end to these thugs, we need the public's help. We need the people living around this area – someone around here knows these guys.
"It's just like our one on the MacDonald Hotel stairs [Daniel Louis Thomas], we had a lot of public assistance that really helped out.
"It only takes that one person, with that one phone call, that can lead us in the right direction. That's what we need here."
Clark went on to offer his insights into the type of persons police were seeking.
"Well I just think that this isn't a random activity that's a a one-time thing. There's probably been other people in this area that have been approached by one, two – maybe more individuals.
"They're like a pack of wild dogs. They hunt in packs because they think they're tough in packs, right?
"They're not going to come up to you one-on-one. They take advantage of the situation ... they see a couple of people walking late at night ... no one else around ..." Clark said.
Eight constables and four detectives were assigned to the case, conducting door-to-door interviews with neighbours and tracking down possible surveillance video from area businesses.
Friends of Sudsaneh said two people from the building went to the liquor store at Whyte Avenue and 99th Street about 1 a.m. to buy some beer but returned after they found the store was closed.
Clark picked up the story for media: the two men were approached by a group of four to six white males who demanded money and then allegedly assaulted them.
The disturbance moved to the area east of 99th Street on 80th Avenue, in front of a house, where it appeared three of the suspects continued to confront the two men.
Friends of the two men being assaulted came to assist at that time. One of these friends was then stabbed and died as a result of his injuries.
The suspects were last seen fleeing in a northwest direction, west of 99th Street, between 80th and 82nd Avenue.
The other victims suffered minor injuries as a result of the fight.
"All of the victims were innocent parties to this unprovoked attack. There is no evidence at this time that this was in any way racially motivated," Clark said.
"We've had such a high success rate lately," the detective said, speaking to his section having only three open cases, including Sudsaneh's, in the year's eight murders.
"We need that assistance again today. We know that somebody knows these people," he added.
Clark also extended thanks to the local Thai society, who helped police as translators and for taking care of the delicate task of informing Sudsaneh's next of kin.
Police issued revised descriptions of three white males, between 18 and 20 years of age, wanted in connection with the assault – see details »
- Suspect #1: between 5-feet 7-inches and 5-feet 10-inches tall, chubby with short dark hair, wearing a white t-shirt, light-coloured baggy shorts to the knee and white high-top running shoes.
- Suspect #2: between 5-feet 7-inches and 5-feet 9-inches tall, skinny with short dark hair, wearing black baggy shorts to the knees with pockets on the sides and carrying a back pack. It's believed this suspect was armed with a knife.
- Suspect #3: the tallest of the group, possibly wearing a black leather jacket.
An autopsy performed June 7th confirmed that Apichat Sudsaneh, 37, died as a result of being stabbed.
Arrests made
On June 10th, 2010 police announced they had made arrests in connection with Apichat Sudsaneh's murder.
Michael John Stewart, 21, was charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of robbery, one count of possession of a weapon and three breaches from Newfoundland.
Kyle Anthony Brooks, 18, was charged with one count of robbery and one count of assault.
Investigators said both men were of no fixed address.
Police also said they were looking for five other people who were considered persons of interest in connection with Sudsaneh's murder.
Images of two males and three females were captured on video at the LRT Station at the Health Sciences platform across from the University of Alberta Hospital, some twenty blocks from the crime scene.
Larger versions of the images can be seen here.
Police later said the images were taken within a 24-hour time period prior to Sudsaneh's murder but they did not provide further details.
Those with information were asked to contact 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).
"We are hoping the family and friends of Sudsaneh can take some comfort from the arrests. They need to know that Sudsaneh's death has impacted a lot of people," Detective Bill Clark said in a news release.
Sudsaneh's homicide in the Ritchie neighbourhood took place next door to where a woman's body was found buried in a back yard just over two years earlier – read more »
Twenty-year-old escort Chantel Brittnay Robertson was last seen alive June 28th, 2008. Her body was discovered two days later in a shallow grave beside a house at 9853 80 Avenue.
Matthew Todd Barrett, 24, was charged with first-degree murder and offering an indignity to a body.
Barrett was later convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Barrett admitted he had strangled Robertson because he had paid her with rent money he knew he needed back.
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