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Nathan O'Brien case: Police found bloody scene at Liknes house

Douglas Garland murder trial set for 2017 in deaths of Nathan O'Brien, grandparents

Police found blood in the bedrooms and garage, as well as drag marks and a bloody dumbbell, when they initially searched the home of missing Calgary couple Alvin and Kathy Liknes a year ago, court documents reveal.

The two disappeared in June 2014, along with their five-year-old grandson, Nathan O'Brien, who was sleeping over at his grandparents' house. Police believe the three are dead, but their bodies have never been found.

The new details come from recently unsealed court documents police filed to obtain a search warrant last year.

In the application, police document what was found when officers first arrived at the home:

- Blood-soaked mattresses in the master and spare bedrooms.

- Missing sheets from both beds.

- Drag marks that led out the side door of the house.

- Bloody footprints leading into the garage, where a blood-stained dumbbell sat in the corner.

The evidence led police to presume that all three family members were likely dead. About a month and a half later, police arrested Douglas Garland, 55, of Airdrie, Alta., and charged him with three counts of first-degree murder.

Garland had past business dealings with Alvin Liknes and Garland's sister was the common-law spouse of Liknes's son.

Garland's trial date is expected to be set at the end of this month.

Background on the case

Alvin and Kathy Liknes held an estate sale the weekend of June 27, 2014, in preparation for their move to Edmonton.

The O'Brien family was at the home helping out. On June 29, a last-minute plan was made for Nathan to stay for a sleepover with his grandparents.

When his mother, Jennifer O'Brien, returned the next morning, nobody was home. That evening, police issued an Amber Alert.

Police confirmed on July 4 that there was blood found in the grandparents' home and that a violent incident had taken place.

Garland was taken in for questioning the next day and officers began an extensive search of the Airdrie, Alta., acreage he shared with his parents. Police asked property owners near the Garlands' property to search their acreages for anything that appeared out of place. Police also scoured several fields near Airdrie, just north of Calgary, and sent divers into a pond and spent days at three local landfills.

More than 200 officers were involved in massive searches for Nathan and his grandparents.

Police also followed up on about 1,000 tips from the public but the three have never been found