A Lethbridge man has been arrested in the city’s first homicide of 2021 after the body of a 65-year-old man was found inside a southside apartment on Monday.
“We have said the two men were known to each other, and the accused had attended the residence. A dispute had occurred resulting in the death of the victim, identified as Glenn Lofthouse.
“A weapon was involved and police have now recovered it,” said Staff Sgt. Pete Christos with the Criminal Investigation Section with the Lethbridge Police Service.
Witnesses reported hearing a man calling for help before Lofthouse was found dead in the apartment. The following day, one man was in custody and police say he is well known to them.
“Police arrested a 35-year-old man at a home in the 1100 block of 11 Street South on Tuesday afternoon.
“Jade Trotter, 35, of Lethbridge, was charged with second-degree murder and break and enter,” added Christos.
Few details are being released but police said they believe the motive was a dispute over property.
LPS credited the quick calls from residents who heard the man in distress for the timely arrest.
“It’s extremely important. The timeline that we have is critical and in this particular case it helped the investigation quite a bit,” said Christos.
This is the second murder in the same apartment building in 10 months, but police said it’s just a coincidence.
“This particular case is an isolated incident in terms of that they are known to each other, we don’t feel that anyone else in the building is at risk,” Christos said.
LPS said it is not anticipating any additional suspects in the matter, or charges.
Trotter has been remanded in custody and will appear before the court on Friday.