'Justin was always my protector': Family remembers Regina's latest homicide victim
Natalie Langan says although it had been awhile since she spoke with her brother, she'll always remember him for his uncanny sense of humour and hardworking attitude.
"He is very missed," she said.
Justin Langan, 40, was shot in his home on the 1400 block of Pasqua Street on Sunday night during a robbery. He was pronounced dead when he arrived in hospital.
"Justin was always my protector. He was my big brother," said Langan, pausing a moment as a few tears fell onto her lap.
She said she's trying to sort through her emotions after spending most of Wednesday helping to plan her brother's funeral.
Man charged with murder
Chad Allen Barre, 31, has been charged with first-degree murder in Langan's death.
According to police, he fled the robbery scene, allegedly nabbed a vehicle and led officers in an intense chase. Only after colliding with a police vehicle was he taken into custody.
He is facing 11 charges in addition to murder.
Langan said the two were known to each other.
"You really need to be aware of who is in your circle. Who are your friends? Who are your family?" she said.
"It scares me, and now I'm telling my kids be very, very careful who you associate yourself with."
All about family
Langan said some family relationships have been strained in the past, but everyone came together on Wednesday to finalize funeral arrangements.
"We didn't get a chance to see him at all since any of this has happened so it's just planning for this but not actually knowing if ... is it even real? Because it happened so suddenly — so tragic," she said.
Long-time friend Johnny Chernoff was also shocked when he heard of Justin's death.
"I was really, really hurt when I heard this was him," said Chernoff.
He suffers from a debilitating lung disease and recalled how Justin often showed up at his door after a snowfall to shovel his walk.
The two would often talk about family.
"He loved his family. He could go into tears talking about his kids. He'd go out of his way to make somebody else feel good," he said.
