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Son of Stettler man accused of murder says his dad didn’t get the help he needed

The son of a man accused of killing a 71-year-old man in Stettler says his father did not get the mental health help he needed.
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The son of a man accused of killing a 71-year-old man in Stettler says his father did not get the mental health help he needed.

John Roland Savage, 51, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of James Hulkovich. Hulkovich was found dead in his home in the evening of April 6.

“My dad can’t get past the thought of shooting an innocent gopher and talk about killing or blood or death has always made him queasy,” said Morley Savage.

Morley said John was not mentally stable April 6 and had been high on different drugs and awake for a week straight. Morley said “in this state of psychosis” John was not himself and Morley prevented him from leaving his home with a gun, taking the gun and hiding it.

They fought for about 20 minutes, before Morley called the police. Morley was adamant with police that John needed mental health help and asked that he be taken to the Ponoka Centennial Centre.

John was taken to Stettler Hospital where he was placed under “the watch of the hospital security,” according to a press release from the RCMP.

He was reported to have fled the hospital in the afternoon of April 6.

Both Alberta Health Services and the RCMP have declined to comment further as the matter is before the courts.

Hulkovich lived across the street from the hospital and spent his days at the attached long-term care facility Heritage House with his wife, who has multiple sclerosis and lived in the care facility for 20 years.

On April 7, Hulkovich’s truck was found near Wetaskiwin. Mounties conducted a traffic stop and John was arrested and taken to an Edmonton hospital where he received medical assistance.

On April 10, after an autopsy was completed and Hulkovich’s death was determined to be a homicide, John was charged and taken to the Strathcona County RCMP detachment.



mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com

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