MASKWACIS -- The Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit says they've arrested a suspect in connection with a homicide investigation dating back to February 2007.
The case originated on the Samson Cree Nation, which at that time was still known as Hobbema. The victim in the case was identified as 24-year-old Maskwacis resident Johnathan "Cody" Saddleback. For nearly two decades, RCMP say investigators and community members have sought answers in regards to the outstanding file.
They add that while many historical cases are solved through modern forensic advancements, this breakthrough was rooted in the resilience of the community and a strengthening partnership between residents and the police.
On Jan. 20, 2026, 42-year-old Alvin Lee Norman Green, a resident of Maskwacis, was arrested without incident. Green has since been charged with second-degree murder and was taken before a Justice of the Peace and remanded into custody. To protect the integrity of the judicial process, police say no further details will be released.
"We understand the deep importance of investigating these decades-old files and the lasting impact they have on our community," said Inspector Richard McKay, Officer in Charge of the Maskwacis RCMP Detachment. "In many instances, these files are solved through advancements in technology; however, in this case, it was traditional police work that led to charges being laid.”
Meantime, Chief Vernon Saddleback of the Samson Cree Nation emphasized the role of collective action in the healing process.
"For our Nation to heal and remain resilient, we must work together to bring closure to the families who have carried these burdens for so long," said Chief Saddleback. "This arrest shows the importance of our community working alongside the police to close these old files. When we stand together and share what we know, we create a safer and more just path forward for all our people."
Green made his first court appearance on Jan. 22 in the Alberta Court of Justice in Wetaskiwin.
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