RCMP have charged 23-year-old Dustin Piper with first degree murder in connection with the death of an Airdrie man earlier this year.

Police were called to a home in the 100 block of Mountain Circle S.E. in Airdrie on January 12, 2013, for a check on welfare call and discovered the body of 40-year-old Garland Curtis.

A co-worker of Curtis' from Fort McMurray called RCMP after Curtis failed to report to work.

Curtis’ car, a 1994 Saturn, was spotted on surveillance video leaving Banker’s Hall in Calgary a few days before his body was discovered. The vehicle was found abandoned in Olds on January 21.

Police say Piper was arrested after an extensive investigation and that he and Curtis were acquaintances.

“The resolution of this file demonstrates the specialized skill set and dedication of RCMP members throughout the province,” said Inspector Tony Hamori, Officer-in-Charge, Airdrie Detachment. “There were a lot of different pieces to put together in order to see the big picture, and our team of professionals have been working tirelessly on this case.”

Piper has been remanded in custody and will appear in court in Airdrie on Thursday March 21.