Edmonton police ask for help to solve 2016 murder of Colombian tourist
Exactly two years ago, Leonardo Duran-Ibanez was walking along a street in north central Edmonton with his brother-in-law, Elias Malkum.
The 42-year-old was visiting from Colombia, staying with his sister and Malkum.
A group of four men and two women approached them on the sidewalk and unprovoked, tried to start a fight.
Duran-Ibanez was beaten to death. The attackers pushed him to the ground and began to repeatedly kick him in the head. He died in hospital hours later from severe head trauma.
No one has ever been charged in the crime.
Now, two years later, police need someone to come forward to crack the case.
"We have identified persons of interest within the past two years and we've interviewed them," Det. Rick Thomas said at a news conference Tuesday, held near the spot where Duran-Ibanez was beaten to death. "However, we're not to the point where we're able to lay charges."
Thomas pointed out there is a $40,000 reward available for anyone who provides information to the police that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.
"We're hoping that's an incentive to put us over the top," Thomas said.
Murder has divided victim's family
Malkum suffered only minor injuries that night. He said that has made some members of his extended family angry that he survived and Duran-Ibanez did not.
"My wife sits on the bed and cry, cry all the time," Malkum said. "All the family asks me question, why do you not defend your brother? They blame me all the time."
Malkum's daughter, Maria Malkum-Duran said the murder had the greatest impact on her late grandfather who lived in Colombia.
"After he heard about his son's death, he became really sad and he died from depression," Malkum-Duran said.
She acted as translator for the victim's son, Daniel, who spoke to reporters via Skype from Colombia. He urged someone to come forward and confess, and said he misses his father very much.
"They used to speak through social media," Malkum-Duran translated. "Now when he goes on social media, he looks at the last messages that were sent to him by his dad."
After Duran-Ibanez died, the family launched an online fundraising campaign aimed at getting enough money to send the body back to Colombia.
Malkum confirmed Tuesday they were able to raise enough money.
Duran-Ibanez is buried in Colombia.
