RCMP have charged a 33-year-old man with the murder of a man who was found dead Christmas Day in downtown Red Deer.
Chad Alexander Kulba, of Red Deer, is charged with the second-degree murder of Thomas Patrick Braconnier, 46, also of Red Deer.
The victim’s body was discovered in the early morning hours of Dec. 25, in an apartment vestibule near 50th Street and 50th Avenue.
RCMP said Wednesday that Kulba had been identified early on as a suspect in the investigation and had been detained Christmas Day by the RCMP for questioning.
While detained, RCMP allege that Kulba attempted to disarm a police officer and was subsequently charged in relation to that altercation and remanded into custody.
He was held in custody on those charges and was subsequently re-arrested Tuesday at the Red Deer Remand Centre and charged with second-degree murder and committing an indignity to a human body in relation to the death of Braconnier.
Kulba appeared in Red Deer provincial court on Monday on charges of assaulting an officer and attempting to disarm a police officer.
At the time, Kulba told judge Gordon Yake that he was being held in custody while police investigated him for murder.
“They’re (RCMP) making it up so they can keep me in jail,” said Kulba of the charges, adding police had searched his residence.
RCMP said the accused and victim were acquainted with each other because they resided in the same general neighbourhood and they are seeking no other suspects in the investigation.
Kulba has been remanded to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Monday by closed circuit television.
“The residents of Red Deer experienced two serious events on Christmas Day that were quite shocking, on what is supposed to be a day of peace and goodwill,” said Supt. Scott Tod, commanding officer of Red Deer RCMP.
“I am pleased the RCMP have been able to resolve them both in the interests of our residents’ safety and security, but like all citizens of Red Deer, I regret that anyone should die or be injured tragically on Christmas Day.”
The second event he is referring to was an officer-involved shooting where two local RCMP officers shot and killed a suspect after a man went on a rampage with a front-end loader. That incident is currently being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.