A look at Saskatoon homicide cases in 2016

The victims range in age from a six-week-old baby boy to a 63-year-old woman.

In 2016, Saskatoon police opened ten homicide investigations. Eight occurred in the first six months alone; one more than the total number of cases in 2015.

March proved the deadliest month, with three homicides on record within 19 days.

What started as the city’s first possible murder case – the death of a 29-year-old man on Preston Avenue – was later ruled a self-defence killing by a mother protecting her family from an intruder. 

It was also bumped as the first case when charges were laid in the January death of an eight-month-old baby girl, who police believe was asphyxiated as a result of actions by the suspect.

Saskatoon tied with its stats from 2010 when the city saw 10 homicides, which police considered an anomaly at the time.

In 2014, there were eight cases, and four the year before; 2011 and 2012 saw five each.

Below is a look at 2016 homicide cases in Saskatoon.

1. Jan. 29, 2016: Saskatoon police are called to the 100 block of Avenue P South for a report of an unresponsive eight-month-old baby girl. The baby is taken to hospital, where she is pronounced dead; the case is not considered a homicide at the time. On May 12, police announce a 27-year-old man, not named, has been charged with manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and failure to provide the necessities of life for his alleged involvement.
    
2. March 11, 2016: Officers respond to a call of an injured man at 1501 Preston Avenue South. The 29-year-old is taken to hospital, where he is pronounced dead. A 36-year-old woman is taken into custody and later released without charges when police found the man had broken into the home, forcing the mother to defend herself and her children.
    
3. March 23, 2016: Saskatoon police respond to a home on the 3500 block of Balfour Street where a woman is severely hurt. The 63-year-old woman with life-threatening injuries is rushed to hospital, where she later dies. Kyle James Zerr, 29, is charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement. Police believe the victim and suspect knew each other; however, the name of the victim nor the relationship to the accused has been released at this time.
    
4. March 30, 2016: Adam St. Denis, 24, is taken to hospital with unspecified injuries after police are called to an apartment on the 100 block of Avenue O South; he dies the next day. Blair Christopher French, 28, has been charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement.
    
5. April 16, 2016: Saskatoon police are called to the Canarama parking lot for a report of a stabbing. Two men are rushed to hospital with stab wounds; 22-year-old Herman Matthews from La Loche, Sask. dies from his injuries. On April 19, a Canada-wide warrant is issued for 20-year-old Miguel Gomez for his alleged involvement. Exactly one month later, he’s found and arrested in Edmonton. Gomez is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Matthews. 
    
6. April 24, 2016: Mohammed Omar, 18, is fatally stabbed on Central Avenue. A friend of the victim, 29-year-old Wallid Mohamed, is accused of first-degree murder for his alleged involvement.
    
7. June 3, 2016: Saskatoon police are called to a home in Stonebridge where officers find the body of 55-year-old Cynthia Crampton. Officials take two people into custody. Tyler Hurd, 33, is charged with first-degree murder, and Tammy Poffley, 52, is charged as an accessory for their alleged involvement.
    
8. June 18, 2016: Saskatoon police respond to an injured 24-year-old man in the 300 block of Avenue E, just south of 20th Street. He later dies in hospital. The case is being investigated as the city’s eighth homicide.
    
9. July 3, 2016: Saskatoon police are called to a home around 7 a.m. in the 200 block of Waterloo Crescent in College Park East. Officers find an injured six-week-old boy, who is taken to hospital where he later dies. A 16-year-old girl, not related to the victim, is taken into police custody the same day; she is charged hours later with second-degree murder for her alleged involvement. At her first court appearance July 4, she is also charged with breaching two youth court orders: failure to keep the peace and failure to abstain from drugs or alcohol. That day, the infant’s family insist media use the boy’s name, Nikosis Jace Cantre, and say they welcomed the 16-year-old girl into their home after two cousins found her wandering the streets of downtown Saskatoon alone the morning of July 2. Information comes to light about the teen escaping open custody by walking out of Kilburn Hall Youth Centre the evening before. On July 6, 650 CKOM looks into a call made to police regarding the escaped teen’s whereabouts the day before the baby’s death, prompting an internal investigation. On Oct. 12, the 16-year-old accused pleads guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nikosis Jace Cantre. The boy’s family is calling for the teen to receive an adult sentence. Her next appearance is Nov. 10.
    
10. Oct. 14, 2016: Saskatoon police respond to a call about an injured man at a home in the 1400 block of Avenue G North, near 35th Street West, around 10:53 p.m. When officers arrive, they find a 26-year-old who appears to be the victim of an assault. He dies of his injuries the scene. No arrests have been made in the case.

This information was last updated Jan. 17, 2017.