Father-in-law charged after man dies in domestic dispute

Victim described as devoted dad was in midst of divorce, family says

Armando Cosmea-Aspillaga was a quiet, hard-working, devoted father and friend, says one of his grieving friends.

“Not an aggressive bone in his body. He was the peacemaker. Always trying to fix things, situations. I’ve never seen him out of control in his whole life,” said Jensy Menendez on Saturday.

Cosmea-Aspillaga died during a domestic dispute at his Edmonton home Friday evening. Charged with second-degree murder is his father-in-law, 73-year-old Roberto Robles.

Edmonton police were called to a Riverbend house at 53 Avenue and Whitemud Road Friday evening, where they found 38-yearold Cosmea-Aspillaga dead, the force said in a news release.

Robles, is also charged with two counts of possessing an “offensive weapon.” Police would not identify the weapon, or weapons, involved.

Cosmea-Aspillaga was in the middle of a divorce with his wife Flavia, his cousin Leslie Aspillaga said in a Facebook message. The couple have a young daughter together, and they had difficulty agreeing on custody, his cousin said.

Menendez said she has known Cosmea-Aspillaga since she was seven — he was her best friend’s brother growing up in Cuba. Cosmea-Aspillaga met his wife at her wedding, she said.

He moved to Edmonton from Cuba with his wife in 2011 and spent three months learning English before getting a job. He had been working in shipping and receiving at PCL, Menendez said.

“He never complained about working. He was a hard-working person.”

Not one to party, CosmeaAspillaga preferred to visit with his close friends, and take his 2 1/2-year-old daughter on outings to the splash park or indoor playground, Menendez said.

He took care of his family, sending some of his earnings to his sister and mother in Cuba, she said.

“Honestly, I can’t tell you anything negative about him. He was just — it’s hard to find people like that,” she said.

Aspillaga said her cousin was a nice man who loved his daughter dearly. “I want justice for my cousin, who was assassinated for no reason,” she wrote.

On Saturday morning, police cars remained outside the house. Forensic investigators and staff from the medical examiner’s office were seen entering through the front door. A silver Honda with a child car seat in the back sat in the side driveway.

Police won’t release CosmeaAspillaga’s cause of death until an autopsy is performed Tuesday, Edmonton police spokesman Scott Pattison said.

Cosmea-Aspillaga’s death is the city’s 24th homicide of 2016.

Honestly, I can’t tell you anything negative about him. He was just — it’s hard to find people like that.