NEWS FILE PHOTO
The Medicine Hat police major crimes unit investigate the homicide of James Satre in the South Flats on the morning of Oct. 11.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant
Police say that a “cowardly” attack on a man outside his Mill Street home is city’s first homicide of 2017.
Major Crimes Unit investigators responded to EMS call on Wednesday morning to a laneway in the South Flats where the dead body of James Satre was discovered by a neighbour walking his dog.
A preliminary autopsy shows that wounds are suspicious, Police announced at a Friday morning press conference, but police are not releasing the possible cause of death or a weapon.
“It’s part of the ongoing investigation,” said Inspector Brent Secondiak.
“All homicides are violent in nature. This one, I wouldn’t say it was a prolonged incident. I would describe it as ‘cowardly’… that’s due to the circumstances, the age of the deceased, where it happened.”
“I don’t think this was a fight. We think it was a cowardly attack.”
Satre, who was aged 64, operated a small house painting company in Medicine Hat. Neighbours described him to the News as quiet, helpful and happy.
A nearby resident told the News on Wednesday that he discovered the body while walking his dog at about 7 a.m. He said wounds were visible and assumed that Satre had been stabbed.
A full initial autopsy report is due soon from Calgary’s Medicine Examiner’s Office. That is expected to give an approximate time of death.
Police are now conducting secondary interviews with some people in the area. They have asked businesses in the area to turnover security camera footage.
Secondiak said that he couldn’t recall the street ever standing out in terms of criminal activity. Neighbours and business owners in the area that borders light industrial shops say the corner of the South Flats is generally quiet.
Authorities are also searching for a motive and at this point have not determined any suspects.
“We’re working hard to determine what the motive might have been — we don’t know what that motive may have been,” said Secondiak.
“We’re probing into the entire life of the deceased to determine who might have done this, but at this point we don’t have any suspects.”
Satre’s residence, at 1077 Mill Street, shares a side property line with the lane where his body was discovered. Beyond that empty fields continue toward railroad tracks. The yard features several cars and equipment, but police are still examining the property to determine if robbery may have been a motive.
Anyone with information related to the investigation should contact the Medicine Hat Police at 403-529-8420 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Police consider the homicide as the first of 2017. Jordan Pede, 24, died in hospital in January after he was found shot in Strathcona Island Park on Dec. 31, 2016.
