Five dead in Calgary murder-suicide

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Monday, June 2, 2008

Calgary, Canada — Five people have been confirmed dead in a murder-suicide that occurred on Tuesday, May 27. Joshua Lall, 34, stabbed and killed his wife Alison, 35, his two daughters Kristen, 5, and Rochelle, 3, and Amber Bowerman, 30, a tenant in their home, before committing suicide. A third daughter, one-year old Anna, was not harmed.

Joshua apparently harboured a mental illness which is thought by police investigators to have been the driving force behind the murders. A few days before the event, Joshua had called his father, Dominic Lall, telling of a "mental breakdown" he was having. Just prior to the murders, the family's babysitter Katie Blewaska had received a call from Joshua's wife stating that Joshua was "finally on the mend".

Joshua was studying to become a professional architect, and had been interning at Cohos Evamy, a local architectural firm. Rob Adamson, chairman of the firm, said of Joshua that "there were no indicators to us at work of any problems. He was just a solid, come-to-work and get-it-done kind of guy."

Amber Bowerman was a journalist working as the publication editor for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) student newspaper. She had been attending a conference in Lake Louise in the Rocky Mountains and had been invited to stay an extra day. Instead, she chose to go back to her residence in the Lall family home to finish up her work. Suzanne Trudel, publications manager of the SAIT newspaper, rode home with Bowerman from the conference, and said that she spoke glowingly of the family.

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Sources

Robin Summerfield, Suzanne Wilton and Richard Cuthbertson, Canwest News Service. "Family’s dream life ended in nightmare" — The StarPhoenix, June 2, 2008
The Canadian Press. "Memorial for family slain in murder suicide to be held in Calgary" — The Chronicle Herald, June 2, 2008
Dawn Walton. "Slain woman almost missed carnage at home, colleague says" — The Globe and Mail, June 2, 2008
Canwest News Service. "Family, tenant murdered" — Calgary Herald, June 1, 2008
The Canadian Press. "Police investigate possibility Calgary father killed nearly entire family" — Orleans Star, May 29, 2008

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