$100K reward offered in search for Calgary murder suspect Kier Bryan Granado

Calgary police announced Wednesday that a reward of up to $100,000 is being offered as they search for a murder suspect.

Kier Bryan Granado, 24, of Calgary, is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in connection to the death of 26-year-old Hussein Merhi five years ago.

Merhi was shot to death in an alley in the 100 block of Del Ray Road Northeast at around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015.

In July 2019, police charged Joseph Trieu, 26, of Calgary, with one count of accessory after the fact and Granado with first-degree murder – but Granado remains on the loose.

Police believe Merhi’s death was targeted, saying Granado and the victim were “known to each other.”

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Calgary police have now partnered with the Bolo Program in an effort to track down Granado.

“The Bolo Program amplifies police requests for public assistance on most wanted cases, focusing on the most serious criminal offences,” police said in a news release.

“In cooperation with Calgary Crime Stoppers, the Bolo Program offers a reward up to $100,000 that can be claimed anonymously for any information leading to the arrest of this suspect.”

In this specific case, the reward is only available until July 20, 2021.

In a statement released via the Calgary Police Service, Merhi’s family thanked the Bolo Program for organizing the campaign and funding the reward, and Crime Stoppers for facilitating it.

“It has been more than five years since our son, our brother, our uncle, our friend was murdered,” the statement said. “You might think that by now, life would be easy. But you would be mistaken.

“Every happy occasion is punctuated with sadness because Hussein isn’t with us.

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“Every day brings tears, thoughts and prayers for this incredible human being who has been inexplicably missing from our lives — from every birthday, every phone call, every family gathering — for more than five years.

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“Hussein was somebody who mattered. His parents, brothers and sister loved him dearly. He was the youngest of five kids and an uncle to his nephews and nieces who miss him very much.”

The statement went on to say the pain of losing Merhi has been “exacerbated by the senselessness of it all.”

“Hussein wasn’t a bad guy — he was good, through and through. People liked him, never had a bad thing to say about him. And yet, he was murdered.

“We are an extremely private family. As such, having our loved one’s murder talked about — on the news and social media and now even billboards — is extremely difficult for us. But we are releasing this statement because we want whoever killed Hussein behind bars.

“What we have endured for the past five years is something no family should experience.”

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Police said investigators are “certain” there are additional people with information about this homicide as well as Granado’s whereabouts.

“If you know something, pick up the phone, call police, call Crime Stoppers. Say something. It won’t mend our broken hearts. But our community will be safer for it,” Merhi’s family said.