Serving the Heart of Central Alberta for 106 years
VOLUME ONE-HUNDRED EIGHT
PM40011853 R08546
NUMBER SEVEN
STETTLER, ALBERTA
February 12, 2014
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LISA JOY/Independent reporter
Signs erected on each side of the Klaus family farm near Castor say “Private Property, No Trespassing.” Police say three family members were murdered in December.
Police confirm family targeted Three deaths in Klaus farm fire near Castor deemed homicides eight quarter sections of land and cattle in the County of Paintearth and had annual sales of about $224,000. There were two farm employees. Gordon was listed as the proprietor and sole executive. Last year, Gordon Klaus received a $5,000 Agriculture and Rural Development Grant from Alberta Finance and Enterprise. Monica Klaus lived in Stettler and worked at Vortex in payroll. Jason farmed with his father Gordon after leaving his longtime job a couple of years ago of driving fuel truck for UFA, according to his former co-worker.
L ISA JOY Independent reporter
CASTOR — Two months after police labelled a fatal fire at a farmyard east of Castor as suspicious, they’re now calling it a triple murder. RCMP announced last week that the victims, Gordon Klaus, 61, his wife Sandra, 62, and their daughter Monica, 40, were targeted. The Castor Fire Department was called to a farmyard on Sunday, Dec. 8, at about 7 a.m. The fire is believed to have been set that Sunday between 2 and 6 a.m. “It is believed that the deaths of Gordon and Monica Klaus are the result of a homicide and Sandra Klaus has not been located,” said Sgt. Jose Valiquette of Edmonton K Division at a news conference in Edmonton last Thursday. “We believe that these folks were targeted, so obviously there was a specific reason, which we don’t know yet,” Staff Sgt. Ross Campbell of Edmonton K Division said Tuesday. Only the remains of Gordon and Monica were identified in the remains of the fire, but police say Sandra died, as well. “Our investigation suggests that (Sandra) was also the victim of a homicide,” said Sgt. Valiquette, adding that there was coal in the house, which might have been used to heat the home, and it created a “very intense” fire. “The remains are not necessarily easy to analyze,” she said. Likewise, Staff Sgt. Campbell said police are certain Sandra is dead.
RCMP photo
Police released a photo last week of a GMC Sierra truck they believe was “utilized by the person(s) responsible” for the December murders on the Klaus property.
“Through the course of the investigation and the information that we’ve obtained, we believe she is,” he said, adding that to protect the integrity of the investigation, he couldn’t provide details. Sandra’s mother, Janette Berry of Halkirk, is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. “It’s unreal,” she said Tuesday. RCMP also say that the family dog was shot. “On Dec. 13, the Calgary medical examiner’s officer confirmed that the family dog that had been found deceased by first responders at the scene had suffered a fatal gunshot wound,” said Sgt. Valiquette.
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A former UFA co-worker of Jason Klaus, 38, the surviving son of Gordon and Sandra Klaus, said she gave the brown lab named Kila to the family. “She was a very friendly dog,” said Taryn, who didn’t want her last name used. Community still reeling Two farm women at a local restaurant spoke of Sandra’s kindness, saying that although she worked in housekeeping at Castor’s Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital, Sandra — known as Sandi — always made time every shift for the senior residents in acute and continuing care. Klaus Farms has about seven or
‘Lots of suspects’ Although no one person has been identified as a suspect, police say there are many. “There are a lot of suspects as far as the investigation goes,” said Staff Sgt. Campbell. “There’s no one clearly identified yet but certainly anybody that would have had opportunity, or access, to the Klaus family would be considered a person of interest for sure.” Even though three people were murdered, Staff Sgt. Campbell says residents aren’t in any danger. “If we had a concern about someone just randomly killing people we would take the appropriate action,” he said. “We don’t believe anyone else is in danger, so to speak,” he added. “If someone has killed it doesn’t mean they will just start randomly killing other people and that’s not typically how it works.” Continued on Page A2
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