Charges laid against a 53-year-old man in a double homicide in Hinton, Alta., earlier this year have been upgraded.
Robert Keith Major was originally charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of 24-year-old Mchale Busch and her 16-month-old son, Noah. On Tuesday, RCMP announced those charges had been replaced with two counts of first-degree murder.
At around 6 p.m. on Sept. 16, Hinton RCMP responded to the report of a missing 24-year-old woman and her 16-month-old toddler.
The bodies of Busch and Noah were found less than 24 hours later. On Sept. 17, RCMP arrested Major, who shared a wall with the young family’s apartment.
Major was also originally charged with one count of committing an indignity to human remains. On Tuesday, RCMP said Major is now facing two charges of indignity to human remains.
On Sept. 16, Busch was home in the Hinton apartment she shared with her fiancé, Cody-Lee McConnell, and their son.
According to the family, she had an discussion with a maintenance man in the hallway, because McConnell had been tracking mud on his boots into the apartment complex.
Busch was on the phone with a friend around noon when there was a knock on her door, according to family friend Verna Sand. A man was heard over the phone, offering to help vacuum up the mud.
Busch sent a final text at 2:21 p.m. on Sept. 16.
Investigators said the victims were killed in Major’s apartment. McConnell said his son’s body was found in a dumpster near the property.
Major is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
With files from Morgan Black, Global News.
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