EDMONTON – Edmonton police have charged a man in connection with a homicide that happened at a west end motel in late November.
Twenty-year-old Marcel Cristian Niculae has been charged with second degree murder in the homicide of 35-year-old Jon Ribut.
Police were called to the Aladdin Motel at 111 Avenue and 154 Street after employees found Ribut’s body in the room on Nov. 24.
“We gathered evidence from telephone records, forensics, witness interviews, and surveillance video,” explained detective Andre François on Tuesday. “As a result of this information we learned that the victim, Mr. Ribut, had telephone contact with the accused and subsequently met him at the Aladdin hotel.”
“Mr. Ribut was killed at some point during this meeting at the hotel.”
An autopsy determined Ribut died of blunt force trauma. Investigators haven’t commented further on the fatal injuries, or the weapon that caused them.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) says Niculae was arrested Sunday by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Calgary Police Service at the Calgary International Airport, after arriving in Canada on an international flight.
“We learned that accused had left the country and returned to Canada on Sunday, December 8,” said Francois.
Niculae was arrested and charged.
“An arrest is not the conclusion of an investigation,” said St.-Sgt. David Christoffel. “We are still welcoming the public’s assistance with information that may help paint a clearer picture of the activities of Mr. Ribut and the accused prior to this incident.”
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Police say it doesn’t appear the victim and accused knew each other before this incident.
“We don’t know exactly what the nature of the meeting was at this point,” said Francois.
Ribut came to Edmonton from Indonesia in July 2012 on a two-year work visa.
Police believe Ribut was involved in the sex trade industry.
“There is no indication that he was brought here for any specific reason,” said Francois. “He was here on a work permit, as far as we know.”
A co-worker told Global News Ribut had worked at a local 7-11 for about five months. She says he worked nights, was quiet, private, and that there was no indication he may have been involved in the sex trade.
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