CALGARY– A 30-year-old Calgary man is facing homicide charges for stabbing his mother and another woman in Coventry Hills last month, just days after he was charged with threatening her and others.
Emanuel Kahsai was arrested Friday morning and charged late that night with first degree murder in connection with the death of his mother, Selmawit Alem and second degree murder in connection to the death of her friend, Julie Tran.
The bodies of Alem, 54, and Tran, 25, were found inside a house in the 200 block of Coventry Close N.E. at around 10 a.m. on Oct. 19.
Autopsies confirmed both women died as a result of stab wounds.
Global News has learned Alem had an emergency protection order (EPO) against her son.
The original order was filed June 9, when Alem told provincial court her son was verbally and physically abusive.
Alem told the judge her relationship with Kahsai had been strained since the death of her other son, 18-year-old Michael Tsehaie Kahsai–who was murdered ten years ago. The teen was found dead in a Forest Lawn home, having been repeatedly struck with a meat cleaver in 2005. A 19-year-old offender was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison.
“His brother was killed and, after that, he just, angry…drinking,” she testified June 9 in front of a provincial court judge.
“I can’t even explain it. My fear is he’s going to kill himself or he’s going to hurt me.”
The order had been renewed multiple times in the Court of Queen’s Bench.
Kahsai is charged with uttering threats against Alem in documents dated May 22 to Oct. 16. He was also accused of mischief for allegedly breaking Alem’s window on Sept. 9, after which she sought a new EPO.
On Sept. 10, Alem testified: “My concern is…he will follow me or he will hurt me. He will kill me…if I call the police, especially.”
Kahsai was taken into custody without incident at around 7 a.m. Friday, and spent several hours being interviewed by homicide detectives. He is expected to see a justice of the peace, when he will be formally charged with the murder of his mother.
Friends say Alem never recovered from the death of Michael; she also battled cancer for years.
One of her close friends said news of the arrest is heartbreaking.
“I don’t want it to be him,” said Michael Teclema.
“She loved him. He was the only reason she was living for. He was in trouble, he had a lot of issues, but to be charged in her death breaks our heart.”
Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for Alem’s funeral and related expenses. You can visit the donation page here.
Anyone with information on the deaths of Alem and Tran is asked to call police or contact Crime Stoppers.
Kahsai is expected to make his next court appearance on Friday November 27.
With files from Melissa Ramsay and Lisa MacGregor
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