Eight years after an Airdrie father’s death, his family continues to search for the person or people responsible.
Someone on an ATV discovered 37-year-old Erick Danis’ body wrapped in a blanket in a field northeast of Calgary on April 22, 2011.
“He was just fun to be around,” said Erick’s sister, Manon Danis. “He had a great sense of humour, he was the joker of the family.
“The person who killed Erick killed my dreams.”
Manon said her brother became addicted to opioids and there would be long periods when she wouldn’t hear from him.
“The doctors gave him medication and he got addicted fast, really fast,” she said. “He went from doctor to doctor until he got flagged.”
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Manon said she last spoke with her brother in November 2010.
“He called me and he was not making any sense at all. And I said to him, ‘Erick, something’s wrong with you.'”
Manon wouldn’t learn about her brother’s death until several months later when his body was discovered.
Investigators said that since Danis’ death, they have interviewed several people of interest but have not yet zeroed in on a suspect.
“The RCMP feel that it’s a very small circle of people who know exactly what happened to Erick,” said Sgt. Jason Zazulak with the RCMP K-Division’s serious crimes branch.
“Throughout this investigation, there have been over 40 RCMP serious crimes investigators who have conducted over 100 inquiries and interviews.”
The cause of death is still not being released to the public in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.
“The very specifics of what the cause of death were would possibly be only known to a small number of people, and that could be significant evidence in the case,” Zazulak said.
Erick left behind a daughter who was only two years old when he died.
“We didn’t even have a celebration of life for Erick, we didn’t have a funeral,” Manon said. “This little girl is not going to know her father.”
Manon is now working to help other families who are battling addiction and hopes that one day soon, Erick’s killer will be brought to justice.