Murder charges laid after injured northern Alberta man dies in hospital

Second-degree murder charges were laid this past weekend after a 22-year-old man from northern Alberta died in an Edmonton hospital.

On Friday, RCMP were called to the hospital in High Level, where staff found suspicious injuries on 22-year-old patient Jordan Laboucan. Police said the injuries appeared to be consistent with blunt force trauma.

The next day, Laboucan was transferred to the University of Alberta hospital in Edmonton, where police said his condition deteriorated and he died of his injuries. An autopsy is scheduled to take place Monday in Edmonton.

Laboucan was from North Tallcree, Alta., a community about 50 kilometres south of Fort Vermilion on Highway 88 that is one of seven reserves which make up the Anishinabe Tallcree First Nation.

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Fort Vermilion RCMP, along with members from the Major Crime Unit in Edmonton, have been working together on the homicide.

RCMP said its Forensic Identification Services was involved in investigating and gathering evidence from the scene at South Tallcree First Nation, one of the other reserves which is located about 25 kilometres south of Laboucan’s home.

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Harley Auger, 30, was arrested Saturday and charged with one count of second-degree murder. He remains in police custody and is scheduled to appear at Fort Vermilion Provincial Court on Tuesday.

North Tallcree is about 600 kilometres north of Edmonton.