Police investigate suspicious deaths
Calgary police’s homicide unit was kept busy over the weekend as officers investigated two mysterious deaths, both of which are considered suspicious.
A person was found dead Friday inside a vehicle parked in a Bridgeland alley that backs onto a park and boasts panoramic views of the mountains and downtown Calgary.
The victim’s gender and age have not been released and police say the cause of death won’t be released until an autopsy, scheduled for Monday, is performed.
But the deceased has been identified by friends as Anthony Fernandez, who had been missing since Christmas Eve.
Fernandez’s family declined to comment when reached Saturday.
A Facebook page soliciting donations for funeral costs for Fernandez was set up Saturday.
A missing poster with a photo of a smiling Fernandez dressed in a suit jacket and tie was shared hundreds of times on Facebook and Twitter in the days before the body was found.
The poster offered a cash reward and stated Fernandez drove a dark burgundy/black Mazda 6 and was last seen Dec. 24.
On Friday, a concerned neighbour called the police’s non-emergency line about a black, four-door car, believed to be a Mazda, that was parked in an alley near the 1200 block of Colgrove Avenue N.E. for several days.
When officers arrived at about 3 p.m. Friday, they found a body inside the vehicle.
Neighbours said the area was cordoned off by police tape and the car was towed after 10 p.m. Friday.
The alley is a popular spot for photographers but is occasionally frequented by drug dealers and prostitutes, according to neighbours.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to call police at 403-266-1234.
In a second, unrelated death, a man’s body was discovered in a Rocky View County recycling facility early Friday morning by employees. Police believe the man was recently deceased and transported into the facility in a recycling truck from Calgary.
The man’s age and identity have not been released and an autopsy is scheduled for early this week.