Police continue to investigate after a man was found dead in a home at 3408 103 Avenue near Rundle Park.
Emergency medical services were called at about 6:23 a.m. April 14th, 2011, to deal with the sudden death of a man in his late 20s.
Upon arrival, paramedics immediately called police.
"My understanding is a male in his late 20s. Homicide is on scene, our ident people will be on scene but other than that there is little we've confirmed at this time," Acting Inspector Regan James said.
"[It's] very early on. We're looking at this simply as a suspicious death right now, it's not even a confirmed homicide. But we're doing all our work – our background checks, filling in the holes and go from there."
A distraught woman, later identified as the person who found the body, was led from the scene and interviewed.
A small child was also taken from the home and handed over to arriving family members. One neighbour said the child appeared to have a black eye.
As a mid-April snow storm thickened, relatives of the deceased man gathered, hugging each other while sharing their grief – see additional images »
With the man's family seeking privacy, media sought out neighbours in an effort to find out more about the victim and his family – read more »
Residents said a young couple with a small child and a dog had moved into the Rundle Heights home about two years before.
One neighbour knew something serious had happened as soon as she looked outside.
"When they were taking her out she was sick ... and I thought, 'Oh, what could it possibly be,' " Laurel Campbell said.
The woman said she last saw the family a few days before.
"Really sweet little thing. She's playing in the water with her little boots on. And now this, so it's just – it's heartbreaking.
"I'm glad that she's with someone safe ... but I just feel so bad for her mom and dad," Campbell said, apparently unaware of the full tragedy inside the home.
"He always waved at me when he was going and she always waved and the little girl waved, so they were very nice," she added.
Another neighbour, who didn't want her name used, lived across the street from the crime scene and said a man spoke to police outside the house shortly after 7 a.m. and started screaming.
"It was just awful. He was screaming, 'No, no,' " she said.
"I don't know who he was ... I don't think he lives there. I think he was some relative or friend."
The neighbour said she saw the couple out walking the previous weekend as the little girl rode a tricycle.
"I know she's OK because my husband was looking out the front door and he saw her in the living room window that faces us."
Others described the family as quiet and friendly.
"They were very pleasant, very nice ... easy to get along with," Bob Elaschuk said.
The neighbour said he first met the family when he found their lost dog the summer before.
"Very nice people. They were grateful for the return of their dog."
In a later interview, Elaschuk commented on the nature of the crime.
"You've got to wonder about the latent quality of any of us when something like this happens in a normally quiet neighbourhood with a normally quiet family.
"You'd have to fear for where society's going."
A woman named Sarah lived two doors down from where the body was discovered.
"It can happen in any environment, in any neighbourhood, and it is something that is just, I don't know, it's unsettling alright," she said, adding that the whole experience had been a bit nerve wracking.
CBC Edmonton went on a bit of a fishing trip when they looked up the address of the house, listed four months before, on kijiji – the online classified ads service, and suggested others may have been living in the home.
Some neighbours had said there were signs the house was being renovated and that the basement suite may have been rented out. Neither issue was thought to have figured in the crime.
At about 1:30 p.m. and a block away, a woman made a frightening discovery inside the family Hummer – a four-inch jackknife sitting on the floor between the front seats – read more »
"My wife went shopping for groceries and basically looked at the side of her console and found the knife there," Kevin Jacobson said.
"We were both freaked out, yeah – absolutely."
Jacobson said his wife brought the knife in the house and he immediately put it in a bag. As he had noticed the crime scene tape up on the next block, he figured it would be a good idea to call police.
Forensics staff searched through the SUV and took pictures of their house.
"It was apparent that somebody else was in that vehicle. We don't keep those kinds of knives around the house," he said, adding that his wife had a habit of leaving the doors unlocked on occasion.
"With two kids, that happens."
Jacobson couldn't say whether there was blood on the blade, and police wouldn't say if the weapon was connected to the man's death.
At 3:00 p.m., police announced that the man's death had been deemed a homicide. An autopsy had yet to be scheduled.
The father of the victim sat in a pickup truck parked nearby, crying. He declined to speak with media but confimed the victim was the father of the two-year-old girl who had been seen being taken away from the home.
About an hour after confirming the death a homicide, police revealed that various items had been taken from the home, including a large white leather-like purse with white handles and "typical contents," such as a wallet.
Police didn't say who the white purse belonged to or who they thought took the items from the home.
"That's the one item that we feel is easily identifiable," a spokesperson explained.
Investigators asked neighbourhood residents to search their yards and outside garbage containers for items that may be related to the case.
As the snow continued to fall, officers did their best to contain the area and document the scene – see images »
Police also said that homicide detectives and crime scene investigators would remain at the home for several days.
"Detectives have been at home for most of the weekend," a police spokesman said later. "They are being very detailed with the scene at this point."
On April 18th, 2011, police identified 29-year-old John Stanley Kwiatkowski as the victim of homicide.
His cause of death was not released to maintain the integrity of the investigation, investigators said.
Police also said they recovered the white purse from a yard several blocks from Kwiatkowski's home. No further details were provided.
"Investigators are working hard to determine the facts behind this crime and are keeping an open mind while focusing on the evidence and facts as they are collected and investigated," police said in a follow-up news release.
"John was the salt of the earth," Dave Rudkevitch, Kwiatkowski's father-in-law, said.
Rudkevitch was troubled by unreported-by-media rumours swirling around John's the death, stating his son-in-law was a responsible man who worked hard and cared for his family – read more »
"We lost a really good guy and for nothing," Rudkevitch said.
"Obviously, the person or persons were uninvited. Obviously there was some sort of struggle.
"In the process, my granddaughter got bumped," Rudkevitch said, adding whoever killed his son-in-law used a weapon to strike two-year-old Emily.
Neighbours noted the girl suffered a black eye and bruising to the face.
"It was nothing serious ... and she checked out fine. But now she's without a daddy."
Media coverage left the impression that the toddler was taken from the scene when she was actually being handed over to family members.
Police also had to clarify that a woman reported to have been "taken into custody" was simply driven to headquarters where she was treated as a witness.
Rudkevitch also shed light on something police wouldn't confirm – who it was that discovered John's body. The man said his daughter found John when she came home from working a night shift.
"My daughter came home from work and her life was destroyed," he said. "And now she's got something in her memory that will never disappear."
About the rumours ...
"People always want to know if it was a 'wrong crowd' kind of a situation, but absolutely not," Rudkevitch said. "John was one of the most stand-up guys that you could ever meet."
All police would say was investigators were working hard to determine the facts behind John's death and that they were keeping an open mind as evidence and facts were collected and investigated.
Proof of that could be found in how long it took forensics staff to process the scene.
"They were in there three days," Rudkevitch said.
"We're lucky that my granddaughter is still alive with us today ... but these low life SOBs even roughed her up."
"So if that counts for anything maybe that just might bring the calls in a little harder," he said, locking eyes onto CTV Edmonton's camera.
"Somebody knows something out there and this family needs a little closure on that end," Rudkevitch said. "I'm just hoping that these guys get apprehended soon because we need that."
Other family members spoke to media but preferred not to be identified.
"He was a very good boy," said one relative. "He was just very pleasant to talk to."
Working for the City of Edmonton, John was proud of his family and the house he owned. He had become a foreman just three days before he was found dead.
Because his wife worked nights, the man spent much of his spare time looking after his daughter.
"John was just the most devoted and loving husband and father," another family member said.
"His entire life just lit right up whenever he saw his little girl. He did everything for her.
"Nobody, nobody wanted to hurt John. We all just love him and miss him so much."
Mother-in-law Caroline Rudkevitch said John was an "awesome person," an incredible father and friend.
"He was the kind of guy that if you were stuck in Calgary with a flat tire, he would go out and change it for you," she said. "He was (also) a proud father."
Caroline said John had been a part of her family for 12 years. Two-year-old Emily couldn’t have asked for a better dad, she added.
"Anything about her – if you just mention her name, he'd light up," she said, laughing. "We are all a close family."
In addition to his devotion to Emily, Caroline said John loved fishing, camping and the outdoors.
As for his daughter and common-law wife, they were said to be doing "the best they can."
Caroline said police were working closely with family, sharing the few details known for certain in the case.
In addition to funeral arrangements, a trust fund was announced for John's daughter Emily – read more »
Donations for the fund can also be made through the River City location at 8620 58 Avenue (account #722420026790).
At the time of John Kwiatkowski's death, the Edmonton Police Service website hosted a page highlighting the case (the page has since been removed).
As part of their web page, police posted the above picture of Kwiatkowski taken when he worked for the City of Edmonton.
Police reveal new details
On February 13th, 2012, police released a video highlighting never-before-seen details of the case in hopes of generating tips from the public.
The four-minute video revealed that police believed more than one person took part in the slaying and that several items – yet to be found – had been removed from the home.
In addition, the video catalogued evidence police had found at the home that may eventually connect suspects to the crime – read more »
Investigators detailed how forensic and DNA evidence had been recovered from several items at the scene. Police said the Canada Dry ginger ale soda can had been brought to the house.
Police tied a Jeep Cherokee to the incident. It had been stolen several days before and was later found abandoned. It was thought that at time the vehicle was in the possession of at least one person responsible for Kwiatkowski's death.
Inside the Jeep were several items taken from the Kwiatkowski residence, including a JVC video camera.
In addition, within the vehicle police recovered a pair of Nike High Top running shoes they said were stained with Kwiatkowski's blood.
Additional police photos taken at the house in April 2011 can be seen here »
Investigators also confirmed that Kwiatkowski's two-year-old daughter was present at the time of his death. Additional photos of Kwiatkowski in life, included in the police video, can be seen here »
"Those people who took part in causing John Kwiatkowski's death know who they are, and they know that the investigation will soon catch up with them," Det. Colin Derksen said in the video.
"But for those of you who have some knowledge of what took place here that night last April, there's an opportunity for you to come forward and help solve the senseless murder of a good man."
Det. Derksen also said Kwiatkowski had been "brutally attacked." Cause of death has yet to be released.
Additional details can be found in the police-released video:
In the light of these new details, police asked those who may have knowledge of the crime to contact them 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)
A confirmation message and unique code number will then be sent. Tipsters can respond by replying.
At a media availability in support of the release of the video, Det. Derksen refused to take questions from reporters and declined to say why. Instead, he stuck to a prepared script.
"In an effort to reach the public, we have created a video that outlines this critical evidence, how it was developed and how it fits into the overall investigation," Derksen said.
"Much of this new evidence has come as a result of some exhaustive forensic work that has been going on and this work will continue.
"Although this evidence is rapidly moving the investigation forward, we're still seeking assistance from the public to help solve this senseless murder.
"It's important to get this info to the public clearly and accurately to give people the best chance of being able to help identify who is responsible for John's death," Derksen finished.
The video, with production values worthy of network television, also did not answer key several questions, including whether a jackknife discovered in a neighbour's SUV was connected to the crime.
Police also did not indicate where and when the stolen Jeep Cherokee referenced in the video had been found, and whether the murder was a random act.
For their part, the Kwiatkowski family were advised by police not to speak to media.
With this latest development in the case, media returned to the scene of the crime to see what had changed in the neighbourhood – read more »
Ten months later, a different family occupied the house where Kwiatkowski died.
One reporter tried speaking to the current residents but no one answered. But media did manage to track down one familiar face.
"That's the most horrific part – that she was alone there while daddy was hurt," Laurel Campbell recalled of that day in April 2011.
"Before mommy came home and she was alone in that house ... probably saw what happened.
"It was scary in the fact that it was such a young family and so nice, and the little girl. It was just horrific – it really was."
Since the murder, a sense of caution caused Campbell to make some changes.
"I put in an alarm system. My neighbour put in one. We all put in alarm systems and video cameras in the back," Campbell said.
The Kwiatkowski clip was the second video Edmonton police had produced in connection with a homicide investigation.
In August 2011, detectives "embraced social media" with a YouTube clip profiling the murder of 27-year-old Kyle Gayda whose body was found July 27th, 2011, in a burned out 2010 Chevrolet Impala near 156th Street and St. Albert Trail.
Police have not said if any useful tips had been generated in connection with the Gayda video.
It's of interest to note that the Kwiatkowski video garnered more views in 48 hours than the Gayda video had in seven months.
It appeared that the Edmonton Police Service had learned from their earlier foray into the world of online crimefighting. The Gayda video was only accessible from a page buried within the EPS website (a page that soon disappeared), and in a non-linkable entry on the EPS Facebook page.
The Kwiatkowski video earned prominent placement on the main page of the EPS website – read more »
In an interview with the Edmonton Sun, Michael James, supervisor of the Edmonton police digital media unit, said the use of YouTube-placed videos would become much more common.
James also spoke to the clip's dramatic tone.
"We wanted the video to speak for itself," he said. "When you release anything online, it has to be unique and attention-getting so our role is to get people to watch."
James said the use of off-screen narration and evocative music was designed to help viewers connect emotionally to the crime.
He also said police would release similiar videos in the future, all done with no additional cost to the service's operating budget.
Despite equal media attention, there was also another difference between the two cases.
Kyle Gayda's death was thought to be drug-related and took place in circumstances outside the norm of everyday life.
In contrast, John Kwiatkowski was a family man with a responsible government job, and his death was likely the result of a home invasion and robbery (which some linked to a gang initiation) gone wrong.
The tragedy in Rundle Heights was something that could happen to any ordinary citizen, and not the result of living a criminal lifestyle. And the difference in video viewership may be an indication of where public sympathies lie.
The police investigation in both cases continues.
All the information presented on this page has been compiled primarily from published media reports and should not be interpreted as having legal bearing or other prejudice against the individuals named on this web site. The Last Link on the Left practices fair presentation and the disclosure of relevant interests. Mouseover for image credits.
