More than 2 years after death of man on central Alberta reserve, RCMP have still not made an arrest

The mother of the late Terance Christopher Laboucane says she wants answers from the Alberta RCMP on whether any arrests will be made in the death of her son after waiting for more than two years for an update. “Now that APTN News is involved the RCMP homicide investigator came to see me to cover his tracks after two years. I asked him a bunch of questions and he basically told me the same thing that he’s been telling me for the past two years,” said Dorothy Laboucane. Terance, who was 35-years-old and homeless at the time, was found deceased on June 13, 2023 in Ermineskin First Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta located about 80 kilometers south of Edmonton. Dorothy said her son, who is from the Onion Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, attended a party in Ermineskin just days before he was found deceased and that his head and hand were severed. “Knowing that when my son was found, he was a John Doe and I think of how many other parents have gone through this. I have so many unanswered questions,” said Dorothy. When Dorothy was unable to contact her son, she made a missing person report with the RCMP on June 14, 2023 not knowing her son was found deceased the day before and says the RCMP didn’t tell her that her son was found until June 15. “What happened at that party, I don’t know but my son was found under a mattress…, (The RCMP) had to do a finger print of his left hand which was already pretty much very decomposed,” said Dorothy, holding back tears. According to Alberta RCMP, Terance’s death is being treated as a homicide but would not share the circumstances of the incident including when and exactly where he died or how he died despite numerous questions by APTN News. The RCMP would only say that the investigation is still active and they cannot disclose any information. “We cannot share any reports as the investigation is active. We can’t release any details in relation to when the offence might have taken place but it’s believed to have occurred in Ermineskin,” said an Alberta RCMP spokesperson. “(The RCMP) have three possible suspects, they are trying to get the other two and they said they had a bunch of (evidence) like cameras and phones and tablets or whatever that they were getting all the evidence,” Dorothy alleges. “That’s basically all I heard.” Dorothy has also been very critical of the Alberta RCMP for its decision to not issue a press release to inform the media and public about her son’s death. At the time of his death and the weeks that followed, no media reported on Laboucane’s death-only an obituary was posted online by the family and the McCaw Funeral Service. According to that obituary, Laboucane’s wake was held on June 27, 2023 at the Onion Lake Log Church and Dorothy says it was a closed casket funeral that was held on June 29, 2023 in Onion Lake First Nation, SK. “I want (the RCMP) to know that I have every right to know exactly what they’re doing and how they’re doing it and what other steps they are going to take,” Dorothy said, noting that waiting for an arrest or arrests has taken a huge toll on her and her family including her son’s ex-wife and his three children. “To not tell me what exactly is really going on because they are afraid that I’m going to tell the whole world or I’m going to go vigilante I don’t know but I want answers and I want to know that those people involved are going to get caught,” added Dorothy. Dorothy said her son would have been 38 this year. “Terance loved his family, he loved his kids, his siblings, his mother, his dog, he was a very carefree person and he did everything he could for his children and his ex-wife and they did communicate with each other for both of their kids, their youngest one was only 12-years-old when he was killed,” said Dorothy. In Laboucane’s obituary, the family described Terance, also known as Buffalo, as a great father and awesome brother to his younger siblings. “When his son was born, Buffalo was so excited and loved him so much.” Dorothy also shared a funny story of how her son broke the news to her that she was going to be a grandmother. “There was this time when Buffalo asked me to pick him up and go to the store when he had a girlfriend, her name was Danielle, he told me about her and then said, ‘Mom don’t get mad but you’re going to be a Kokom.’ I pulled over and I was hitting him, telling him I wasn’t ready to be a Kokom thinking I was still too young, lol.” In a statement Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit said Laboucane’s death remains “an ongoing priority for investigators” and Alberta RCMP defended its decision to not release a press release about Laboucane’s death. “With respect to the concern about a media release, it is important to note that media releases are one of several investigative tools available to us. They are generally used when public assistance is required to advance an investigation. In this case, investigators determined that a media release would not contribute to the progress of the file. While you may not always see updates in the media, this does not reflect the level of work being done. Our investigators are committed to pursuing every available lead and continue to dedicate significant effort to resolving this case. It is also important to emphasize that every investigation, regardless of whether a media release is issued, receives the same level of attention, professionalism, and commitment from our officers. The decision to engage the media is separate from the investigative effort, and does not lessen the seriousness with which we approach any case,” said an Alberta RCMP spokesperson. As Dorothy continues to wait for any update by the RCMP, she is also sending a message to the people who she believes is involved in her son’s death. “I want them to know that they took a really wonderful man away from our family, a wonderful father, a wonderful son, and if they can just come forward and face for what they’ve done, I would be very grateful for them to confess and turn themselves in.” If anyone knows what happened to Terance Christopher Buffalo Laboucane, you are asked to contact Alberta RCMP at 310-7267 or call anonymously at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Continue Reading