3 men charged with murder in 2017 Abbotsford slaying
Charges of first and second-degree murder have been laid against three men in connection with the 2017 shooting death of 24-year old Alexander Blanarou in Abbotsford.
Islam Nagem and Edrick Raju are both charged with first-degree murder, while Michael Schweiger is charged with second-degree murder.
According to Integrated Homicide Investigation Team spokesman Sgt. Frank Jang, Blanarou was shot multiple times in what is believed to be a targeted killing related to drugs but stopped short of identifying it as a gang hit.
"Those details will come in court," said Jang. "Including our victim ... all the men are known to police."
Blanarou was killed on Dec. 28, 2017 while out on bail on two drug charges he was facing in the Yukon.
His body was found in a blueberry field in the 5200-block of Bates Road in rural Abbotsford.
The three accused remain in custody.
Blanarou's parents are suing ICBC over an insurance claim related to their son's truck which was stolen shortly before he was killed.
