Fort Saskatchewan RCMP have charged a 36-year-old man with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with a double homicide that took place in the central Alberta village of Chipman.
Shortly before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Fort Saskatchewan RCMP were called to a home after reports of shots fired. Two men were found dead.
READ MORE: RCMP investigate double homicide northeast of Edmonton
On Tuesday afternoon, police said Raymond Nickerson, of Chipman, was charged in connection with the deaths of 40-year-old Jason Williams and 39-year-old Terrance Sutton.
Sutton was a husband and father of four.
Cindy Lindemann, a family friend of Sutton’s, said he was an upstanding guy in every way.
“My daughter said he bought my granddaughter socks for Christmas because he caught her without socks on when the weather didn’t permit,” she said.
“Nice people, good family. There’s no need… This is nonsense. There’s no reason for silly stuff like this.”
Diann Dilts, a Chipman business owner, said one of her employees has started a fund for Sutton’s wife and family.
“If they open up a trust at a bank, we’ll turn it all over to that. Hopefully help her out a little bit somehow,” she said.
“It’s too bad tragedies like this seem to happen to the nicest people, you know?”
Williams’ cousin – Blake Williams – told Global News Jason, who grew up in Wainwright, was an avid fisherman and a loving father of two.
He said Jason lived on Prince Edward Island but was working in Alberta and staying with Sutton.
The home where the men were found dead remained cordoned off by police Tuesday, although the area blocked off was smaller than on Monday.
Neighbours told Global News RCMP have been called to the home numerous times in the past.
RCMP said Monday they do not believe it was a random event or that there is any risk to public safety.
Autopsies were scheduled in Edmonton on Tuesday. The cause of the men’s deaths has not been released.
Nickerson remains in custody. He is scheduled to appear in court in Fort Saskatchewan on Thursday.
Chipman is located about 75 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
Watch below: RCMP are investigating the deaths of two men in Chipman, Alta. Fort Saskatchewan RCMP found the men dead at a home in the small village Sunday night. Sarah Kraus has more. WARNING: Disturbing Content. (Filed Monday, April 3, 2017).