Katheline Amber Buck, or “Kitty” to those who knew her well, was killed on February 24th, 2015 at a north side home. It was Lethbridge’s first murder of the year. Two months later, in Lethbridge’s first-ever triple murder, 27 year old Kyle Devine, his 24 year old girlfriend Clarissa English and her 18year old brother Dakota English were found stabbed to death in their west side home. Four people murdered in a space of only two months.
“The reality is Lethbridge is no longer a small city,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Woods with the Lethbridge Regional Police. “We are quickly approaching a population of 100,000 people and with that we are seeing more crimes that are more associated with bigger cities.”
Just last month, 47-year-old Gifford George Good Dagger was found unconscious in a south Lethbridge alley and died the next day. The most recent homicide occurred this past weekend when Matthew James Flitton’s body was found in a north side home.
In a small community like Lethbridge, homicides impact everyone.
“I have small children, so I find it quite frightening that things are getting worse. But, I have a lot of hope that it’s not going to continue,” said one Lethbridge resident . “I don’t understand what has changed over the last bit.”
The number of murders in Lethbridge in 2015 are triple the amount in previous years:
2015-6
2014 – 2
2013 – 1
2012 – 3
2011 – 2
“What I can tell the people is that these recent murders have all been targeted,” explained Woods. “They have all been known to each other.”
Since 2010, every murder in Lethbridge has resulted in suspects being identified and charges being laid.
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