Five citizens from the O’Chiese First Nations Reserve, northwest of Rocky Mountain House, have been charged with murder in connection to the beating death of a man at a reserve residence on Sept. 18.

RCMP have charged all five with second-degree murder. They are Terrance Andy Beaverbones, 21, Darcy Johny Lightfoot, 30, Evan Ernest Foureyes, 21, Melvina Jean Beaverbones, 36 and 26-year-old Jenny Olivia Beaverbones.

Terrance Beaverbones will appear in Red Deer provincial court on Sept. 27 while Melvina Beaverbones and Jenny Beaverbones will make their next Red Deer court appearances on Sept. 29.

Lightfoot and Foureyes will appear in Rocky Mountain House provincial court on Sept. 29.

All of the accused are currently held in custody pending their court appearances.

At about 11 a.m. on Sept. 18 Rocky Mountain House RCMP and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to a residence on the O’Chiese First Nation Reserve after receiving a call of an unconscious male outside of a residence.

Upon arrival the male was found to be deceased and had been covered in blankets and a rug. The male was identified as Gordon Marlice Strawberry, 45, of the O’Chiese First Nation Reserve.

The police investigation revealed Strawberry was at the residence of Melvina Beaverbones for a house party when an altercation started inside the residence.

RCMP said Strawberry was violently attacked and beaten inside the residence and later dragged outside where the altercation continued.

Police added that a number of people were at the house party and participated in this vicious attack.

On Sept. 20 the provincial Medical Examiner’s office in Calgary completed the autopsy of Strawberry and it was determined that the manner of death was homicide.

Bachusky