Woman charged with 2nd-degree murder after burned human remains identified
A 32-year-old Red Deer woman was arrested last week and charged with second-degree murder after Alberta RCMP major crimes identified the human remains of a man who hadn't been heard from in more than 10 months.
A clerical error led to the woman being charged with first-degree murder. Cpl. Deanna Fontaine, a RCMP spokesperson, said the charge will be amended to second-degree murder by Oct. 26.
In February, the Edmonton Police Service sought the public's help in finding Tyler Johnson, a 26-year-old from Grande Prairie, Alta., who was last heard from on Jan. 12.
His disappearance was considered to be out of character, but it was unknown at the time if foul play was involved, police said.
Johnson's last known locations were south Edmonton, Wetaskiwin and Maskwacis, the EPS news release said.
A month later, the RCMP major crimes unit found human remains in a house that had burned down near Maskwacis, Alta., nearly 80 kilometres south of Edmonton.
The remains were found with the help of local RCMP, the office of the chief medical examiner, an anthropologist and an RCMP police dog that could detect human remains. An autopsy was scheduled the following week, RCMP said.
On Wednesday, RCMP said the autopsy and further investigation have led major crimes investigators to identify the human remains as those of Johnson.
The investigation surrounding Johnson's death led police to obtain an arrest warrant for a 32-year-old woman from Red Deer, Alta.
The woman was arrested in Edmonton Oct. 12, RCMP said.
She remains in custody and is due to appear in Wetaskiwin Provincial Court on Oct. 26.
