Police investigating suspicious death in Strathearn area

The Edmonton Police Service continues to investigate a suspicious death that occurred Monday afternoon in southeast Edmonton.

Southeast Division patrol officers responded to a 911 disturbance call at a suite near 96 Avenue and 87 Street, at approximately 4 p.m, Monday, May 7, 2018.

Upon arrival, EPS members found a deceased 33-year-old female in the suite. Police have since taken a 41-year-old male suspect into custody. Homicide Section detectives have since taken over the investigation, and are now investigating the death as a domestic violence incident.

The suspect and deceased were known to one another, and have been estranged for several years.

Investigators continue to conduct interviews today, and charges are pending. No further information is available at this time. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Police encourage anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

Every file is evaluated on a case by case basis. The EPS has decided not to release the name of the deceased in this investigation for the following reasons: it does not serve an investigative purpose and the EPS has a duty to protect the privacy rights of the victims and their families.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2FUUgRj

Second degree murder suspect arrested

The male suspect wanted in relation to the death of a 25-year-old female in northeast Edmonton last week has been arrested.

Kenneth Richards, 35, was taken into custody without incident yesterday evening, Thursday, May 3, 2018, in the area of 24 Avenue and 107 Street. Richards has been charged with second-degree murder, housebreaking with intent, possess a prohibited loaded/restricted firearm, possess a prohibited firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and breach of recognizance.

 

Homicide detectives continue to investigate.

 

Since issuing a news release seeking the public’s assistance in locating Richards, police received a great deal of information from the public, ultimately leading to his arrest. The EPS would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance.

 

There is no additional information available at this time.

 

Background

 

At approximately 1:50 p.m., Monday, April 23, 2018, Northeast Division officers responded to a weapons complaint in the area of 78 Street and 143 Avenue. It was reported to police that a male suspect, identified as Kenneth Richards, 35, allegedly broke into a residence in the area and, a short time later, a gunshot was reportedly heard.

 

Upon arrival officers found an injured 25-year-old female identified as Brittany Vande Lagemaat. EMS responded, treated and transported Vande Lagemaat to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

 

At the time, police suspected Richards may have fled to an address in the area of 143 Avenue and 82 Street; however, he was not located. Detectives confirmed that Richards and Vande Lagemaat were known to one another.

 

An autopsy was conducted by the Edmonton Medical Examiner and Vande Lagemaat’s cause of death was undetermined pending further testing; however, homicide detectives deemed the manner of death to be homicide.

 

On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, the EPS issued a news release seeking the public’s assistance in locating Richards, who was wanted on province-wide warrants.

 

Every file is evaluated on a case by case basis. The EPS decided to release the name of the deceased as it served an investigative purpose.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2KzyjdM

Social media bomb threat results in charges

A University of Alberta student who made bomb threats over social media has been charged.

At approximately 6:45 p.m. on April 19, 2018, University of Alberta Protective Services contacted police to report a post that had been discovered on the social media app, Chillabit. Posted April 17, 2018, the post threatened to blow up two university buildings on a future date, possibly identified as April 30, 2018.

 

As soon as the post was detected, University Protective Services and police investigated and continuously monitored campus buildings and found no evidence of any explosives on campus. An evacuation was not deemed necessary.

 

EPS Cyber Crime Investigations Unit was able to identify the suspect, who was arrested without incident on campus on April 21, 2018. Following the execution of a search warrant at his residence, police charged Ryan Fang, 20, with uttering threats and conveying a false message with intent to injure or alarm.

 

“Social media can give us the feeling of being anonymous and without consequence, but police take threats to public security very seriously,” says Det. Philip Hawkins with EPS Cyber Crime Investigations Unit. “This particular threat resulted in a large-scale police investigation of the student’s home that involved our tactical and bomb disposal units.”

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2FHrvr7

Charges laid in 2015 homicide

The Edmonton Police Service has charged a 46-year-old man in relation to a 2015 homicide.

Following a lengthy investigation, Richard William Rockey, 46, has been charged with first degree murder in the May 2015 death of Randy Evans, 54.

 

Investigators believe Rockey stabbed Evans during an attempted robbery, resulting in his death.

 

With the assistance of Vancouver Police, Rockey was arrested by EPS Homicide Section detectives in Vancouver on Friday, April 27, 2018. He has since been transported back to Edmonton and remanded.

 

Background

 

At approximately 1:46 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, West Division officers responded to a call at 151 Street and 111 Avenue, where they found 54-year-old Randy Evans lying outside the front doors of the Aurora Hotel. At the time, investigators believed he was involved in an altercation.

 

Evans was treated at the scene and immediately transported to hospital by EMS, but died several days later. An autopsy conducted by the Edmonton Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be a stab wound to the chest. EPS Homicide Section deemed the manner of death to be homicide.

 

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, police released information about an abandoned, stolen Dodge Durango that they believed was linked to the incident. It was later determined this vehicle was connected to the crime.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2rkCu4B

Additional charges laid in relation to homicide investigation

Two more suspects have been charged in relation to an altercation that led to the Jan. 17, 2018 death of Jarvis Katz.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Monday, January 15, 2018, Northwest Division patrol officers were called to a residence in the area of 118 Avenue and 80 Street after a drug-related altercation occurred between several individuals in the home. This altercation resulted in the stabbing death of Katz, who succumbed to his injuries in hospital two days later.

 

The Edmonton Medical Examiner completed an autopsy on Jarvis Katz, 28, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. It was determined that the cause of death was a stab wound, and the manner of death was homicide.

 

Charges have now been laid against two more individuals:

 

On Friday, April 20, 2018, Jonathan Sidney Burd, 48, was charged with second degree murder, possession of an offensive weapon dangerous to the public, and two breaches of probation.  

 

Burd was incarcerated for unrelated offences at the time the charges were laid, which delayed the police investigation. Homicide detectives interviewed Burd on Friday, April 27, 2018 to complete the investigation into the murder of Jarvis Katz.

 

On Monday, April 30, 2018, Alexandra Friesen, 27, was arrested by Downtown Division patrol members in relation to the altercation that led to the death of Katz. She is charged with robbery and assault causing bodily harm against another individual who was also present in the home at the time of the incident.

 

As previously released by EPS Media Relations Unit on April 10, 2018, Douglas Ronald Hecht, 34, was arrested on Thursday, April 5, 2018 and charged with second degree murder and possession of an offensive weapon dangerous to the public in relation to the death of Jarvis Katz.

 

Every file is evaluated on a case by case basis. The EPS decided to release the name of the deceased as it served an investigative purpose.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2HPIYPM

Police request public’s assistance locating missing man

The Edmonton Police Service is asking for the public’s help locating a 50-year-old Edmonton man who was reported missing to EPS on April 25, 2018.

Dan William Levasseur was last in contact with family at the end of March 2018. He is believed to have travelled to Red Deer, AB on April 2, 2018 where he has family but has not been in contact with them or anyone else.

 

Levasseur does not have a vehicle and his disappearance is out of character. He is believed to have last been in the area of 65 Avenue and 67 Street in Red Deer.

 

Levasseur is 5’10” tall, weighs 170 lbs., has brown eyes and brown hair, and may have been wearing a three-quarter length jacket and a back-pack.

 

Anyone with information regarding Levasseur’s whereabouts is asked to call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or the Edmonton Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your tip online at www.p3tips.com/250.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2I7tM45

Police charge 26-year-old male with manslaughter in weekend death

Homicide Section has charged a 26-year-old man with manslaughter in connection with the death of a city man in west Edmonton last weekend.

An autopsy conducted by the Edmonton Medical Examiner Tuesday afternoon was unable to confirm the cause of death, at this time, pending further testing.

Police investigators, however, have determined the manner of death to be a homicide. As such, investigators have charged Branden John Morin, 26, of Edmonton, with one count of manslaughter. 

The accused and 34-year-old victim were known to one another. This is Edmonton’s 10^th homicide of 2018.

Every file is evaluated on a case by case basis. The EPS has decided not to release the name of the deceased in this investigation for the following reasons: it does not serve an investigative purpose and the EPS has a duty to protect the privacy rights of the victims and their families.

Background:
At approximately 3:30 a.m., Saturday, April 28, 2018, West Division patrol officers responded to a disturbance call in the neighbourhood of Rosenthal, near 84 Avenue and 219 Street. Upon arrival officers found a 34-year-old male in medical duress lying on the street.

EMS responded, treated and transported the male to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

 

Homicide detectives have since taken a male suspect into custody for questioning.

from Media Releases https://ift.tt/2rfFbVJ