Fort McMurray pair charged with first-degree murder after September homicide

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Two people arrested in connection with the homicide of a Fort McMurray man have had their charges upgraded to first-degree murder.

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Charlotte Mackey and Matthew Thomas Cooper are accused of murdering Norman Lineham, 43, in September.

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Police were called to Lineham’s Timberlea home on Sept. 21 at 7:45 p.m. Lineham had not been seen in a few days so an individual who knew him visited his home to see if he was alright. The individual found Lineham’s body in a basement suite of the house and contacted police.

Lineham’s death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy was conducted in Edmonton at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Sept. 25.

Police arrested Cooper on Oct. 2. Mackey was arrested on Oct. 27. Both people were charged originally with second-degree murder. They remain in police custody. Cooper and Mackey are scheduled to appear in Fort McMurray’s Alberta Court of Justice on Jan. 15.

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There have been five confirmed homicides in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo in 2023. Three of those deaths were in Fort McMurray. A fourth homicide was reported in Janvier. A fifth homicide was reported in Fort McKay. Police do not believe the homicides are related to each other.

Anyone with information about any missing people or criminal activity is asked to contact Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). Tips to Crime Stoppers are always anonymous and can be sent to tipsubmit.com.

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vmcdermott@postmedia.com

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