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WARNING

Welid Sahle Meskel, 22, was found dead on February 19th, 2012.

Meskel was Edmonton's first homicide victim of the year.

Case status is open and active.

Police continue to investigate Edmonton's first homicide of 2012 after a man was found dead in a north side alley.

The discovery was made by an area resident driving through the alley west of 101st Street between 134th and 135th Avenues at about 4:45 a.m. February 19th, 2012.

The 22-year-old man had suffered an apparent head injury. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.

"At this point it appears to be an injury to the head and that's really all I have to say about that right now," Insp. Mark Neufeld told media.

"As far as I know he looks just like a normal person dressed like you or I. It is being treated as a suspicious death at this time."

The police forensics unit truck came on scene as the man's body remained under a white blanket.

As with all suspicious death cases, homicide detectives were also called out.

Police had yet to determine if the man received his injuries where he was found or had been transported to the area.

"It's a residential neighbourhood, fairly quiet neighbourhood, and 4:45 in the morning, so very little information about how that male came to be in that location at this point," Insp. Neufeld said.

"The other thing to note would be that we didn't receive any calls about any disturbrances or anything like that going on from the neighbourhood itself.

"So it'll be interesting when we get talking to people to see if anybody heard anything – if they did, they certainly didn't report it to us.

"We've got detectives on the scene going door-to-door here now to see if we can pick up some more information about how that person came to be in the lane," Neufeld said.

Residents described the modest east-Rosslyn neighbourhood as quiet. Some expressed surprise but most didn't seem particularly concerned about a suspicious death in the area – read more »

When police questioned some residents, they were asked if they had heard anything around 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. the night before. Apparently, one person did.

"About eleven I heard some kind of 'pop' but I wasn't really sure what it was so I didn't go investigate," Cindy Mah said.

"And I really didn't think anything of it until this morning when my dad said there was a dead body in the alley. Then I thought it was a gunshot.

"It's sort of scary actually because I always thought this neighbourhood was pretty safe."

More was learned from Lydia MacKnee about who discovered the man's body. Her grandson and a family friend were heading out on a fishing trip when they made the find.

"It's halfway down that they spotted his body," MacKnee said.

"Then all of a sudden I could see all these flashers and everything – well I got scared because I thought something had happened to them because they had just left."

MacKnee had lived in the neighbourhood for 44 years and agreed with others that the area was quiet. Still, she wasn't surprised at the police presence.

"These strange things happen everywhere ... I can't tell you much more. It's a shame that it's happening so often."

"It's been a very quiet neighbourhood. I've been here for almost ten years and never any problems here," Arlene Goutbeck said.

The sight of flashing lights and police officers in backyards came as a surprise to some.

"At seven a.m. they came to ask us if we'd seen or heard anything," Paula Noel said.

"It's concerning to see police and forensic trucks, nobody wants to see that in their neighbourhood.

"Nothing ever happens here, it's a very quiet, old neighbourhood. We've never even had to call the police from this house, and I've lived other places and had to dial 911 many times."

Hope was expressed that whatever happened to the man didn't take place nearby.

"I'm hoping the body was just left there," Noel's mother Norma Thomas said, adding philosophically that "trouble just happens anywhere" and that the discovery of a body wasn't going to change how she went about things.

"We do lock our back gate and lock our doors like normal people do and we'll keep that up obviously," she said. "It's sad that somebody's got bad news today, but you can't live your life in fear."

A couple who had lived in the area for over 40 years said the 1950s-built neighbourhood was populated by mainly older people and wasn't one that had seen many problems.

"It's getting close to home," Leonie said.

"Like it's surprising. I don't know who it could be. It doesn't seem to be anybody from the neighbourhood," Bill offered.

While the recollections of most were accurate, the general vicinity did host at least a pair of murders in recent years.

On November 19th, 2005, 17-year-old Cameron Campbell was fatally stabbed during a house party at 12844 104 Street. A young offender was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon and breach of probation.

On December 2nd, 2008, 23-year-old Abdul Kadir Mohamoud had been shot and his body left in a field near 109th Street and 130th Avenue. The Somali man's death remains unsolved.

"Until we have notified next of kin we won't be discussing where he is from," Insp. Neufeld said of the man found in the alley.

Referring to the victim with the words "where he is from" was perhaps telling and likely foreshadowing the man's ethnicity. Neufeld had earlier said "he looks just like a normal person dressed like you or I."

Meanwhile, forensics staff processed the alley – see images »

As the day wore on, with a light snowfall hampering investigative efforts, signs began to point to the nature of the man's death.

"When you begin an investigation, you wouldn't hope for [snow]," Neufeld said. "But when you work in Edmonton, it's just a reality."

"Anytime somebody is found deceased in a lane like that there are difficult questions that have to be asked and answered," he added.

"After the autopsy it may well turn out, unfortunately, that this may be our first homicide of 2012."

Almost out of sight from media cameras, the man's body was loaded into the medical examiner's van and taken away – see images »

"We've been very fortunate actually so far this year to have none ... it's much different than it was last year," Insp. Neufeld said.

"And that's really given our homicide people an opportunity to put their heads down and make some headway on some of the homicides we have from 2011."

Neufeld also hinted additional arrests in some of the outstanding cases could be expected soon.

And as far as what appeared to be the first case of the new year ...

"We don't know how that individual came to be in that lane although we're very interested in that and that's part of our plea today," Neufeld said.

"If anybody knows – from the neighbourhood here – knows of any sort of disturbance or heard or saw anything, we'd love to hear about that."

While results of an autopsy were waited upon, media returned to the north side alley and found another resident who was concerned but not surprised – read more »

Victim identified - homicide confirmed

On February 21st, 2012, police announced that the man found in the alley was a victim of homicide.

Detectives said they believed the death of 22-year-old Welid Sahle Meskel was not a random act and that he may have been targeted.

Investigators also said Meskel's cause of death would not be released.

Police remained tight-lipped and did not indicate if the homicide was gang or drug-related, or if Meskel was known to authorities.

"It's very important that the public know the name of the victim and it's important that people who know this individual to come forward to police and to give them whatever information on his whereabouts and what he may have been doing prior," a police spokesman said.

"[Investigators] are really reaching out to the public in asking if anyone knows what this individual was up to, where his whereabouts were prior to his death ... they would love to hear from you."

Detectives really want to keep the momentum going on this investigation. They’ve been going hard for the last 24 hours and they believe that any new information that the public can provide would really give them a boost," the spokesman said.

Those with information about Meskel's movements in the days before his death asked 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.

As media reports came in that the slain man had died within 15 metres of his family home, a modest memorial sprang up in the alley where he was found – read more »

The investigation continues ...

Meskel's death came one year less a day after another man had been found dead on Edmonton's north side.

On February 20th, 2011, 28-year-old Stacy Steinhauer was thought to have been stabbed in a rooming house at 12718 118 Street in the Calder neighbourhood, just to the southwest of where Meskel was found. Like Meskel, Steinhauer's body was discovered in an alley.

Daniel Friday, 25, was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon and two counts of breach of probation in connection with Steinhauer's slaying.

Meskel's death also marked the end of the city's 2012 49-day murder-free streak, coming on the heels of a record-setting near one-a-week count of 47 set the previous year.

Edmonton had recorded 10 homicides at this time in 2011. The status of two suspicious death cases remains pending.

In terms of murder-free streaks, according to available records, 2001 didn't see a homicide until February 24th, while 1994 didn't notch its first homicide until April.

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.
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deadmonton 2012 - welid sahle meskel