An Airdrie man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a woman’s death on Thursday in the city north of Calgary.
Alexander James Thorpe, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Melanie Lowen, 48, a Monday news release from the Alberta RCMP’s major crimes unit said.
A source confirmed to Global News the 48-year-old is Thorpe’s mother.
Police initially believed Lowen’s death to be suspicious.
At around 8 a.m. on Jan. 13, Airdrie RCMP responded to a call of a man in medical distress at a business. Emergency responders assessed him.
Following that call, a “well-being check” was done at a residence “as a result of the investigation,” an RCMP news release said.
A deceased woman was found in that residence, and her death was believed to be suspicious.
The man was taken into custody as part of that investigation and was transported to hospital “for his well-being,” police said.
An autopsy performed on Friday determined the woman had died by homicide.
RCMP confirmed to Global News that Thorpe and Lowen knew each other.
A spokesperson at the University of British Columbia confirmed to Global News that Thorpe is a student at UBC.
Thorpe was due to appear in Calgary Provincial Court on Jan. 17.
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