EDMONTON – Maskwacis RCMP has charged 31-year-old Tyrus White, of the Samson Cree Nation, in the stabbing death of a Wetaskiwin taxi cab driver.
Police found 52-year-old Dale Christensen’s body Tuesday morning on the side of a road on the reserve, several hours after he picked up a fare on the Samson Cree Nation.
His vehicle was nowhere near him when he was found.
RCMP believe the fatal stabbing was not gang-related. They won’t say, though, if Christensen was the victim of a car-jacking, or if his vehicle has since been found.
Christensen worked at Eagle Taxi a couple years ago before branching out on his own, working for Wetaskiwin City Cab.
A former co-worker of his from Eagle Taxi tells Global News Christensen had two daughters and a wife.
“Hard-working guy, trying to make a living,” he said. “Just like all of us.”
His former boss at Eagle Taxi, Pat Hay, described Christensen as a “nice, friendly guy.” He believes the violence that struck him was rare.
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“It’s been like 18 years since something happened, and we’ve been out there with the people and working with the people,” Hay said.
“I hope they don’t put blame on Maskwacis because one person is not what happens to the whole Hobbema.”
White has been charged with second-degree murder in Christensen’s death. The 31-year-old was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Kirk Buffalo of the Samson Cree Nation said he knows the suspect’s family quite well.
“Tyrus played hockey with my son, so it’s growing up and knowing these young kids. As to what happened, we’ll let the courts decide.”
With files from Laurel Gregory and Slav Kornik, Global News
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