Suspect shot by police was killer: RCMP

Police have confirmed that a fleeing suspect who was shot dead by RCMP west of Edmonton last month was the killer of a woman found in a Calgary back yard a few days earlier.

Investigators said they are no longer looking into the death of 22-year-old Nadia El-Dib.

They said Adam Bettahar and ElDib had been seeing each other last year, but were no longer involved when they left a Calgary hookah bar together early on March 25.

She contacted a friend about an hour later to say Bettahar refused to take her to her parked vehicle.

Police said he instead drove ElDib to a northeast neighbourhood and parked behind a home before stabbing her about 40 times and cutting her throat.

She was able to escape despite her injuries, but Bettahar shot her at least twice in the back yard.

An RCMP officer spotted Bettahar five days later near Evansburg and gave chase.

Bettahar died in an exchange of gunfire with officers. An RCMP sergeant was injured.

He was released from hospital two days later.