Calgary police looking at murder-suicide as potential cause of southwest deaths

Calgary police have released the names of a man and woman found dead in the community of Erlton last week, and say they are examining the possibility the deaths were a murder-suicide.

Police were called to a home in the 0-100 block of 34 Avenue S.W. around 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, to check on the welfare of a woman whose friends said they hadn't heard from her for several days.

Officers found the woman and a man dead in the home.

WestJet employees confirmed to CTV News on Monday the woman was pilot Christina Thomson.

On Wednesday, police confirmed Thomson, 45, was indeed one of the deceased, and identified Thomas Howell, 48, from Rowley, Mass., as the other.

Though autopsies have been completed, police say the manner of death hasn't yet been determined, pending further testing.

Speaking to CTV News, Staff Sgt. Lee Treit of the Calgary Police Service homicide unit said investigators don't know exactly when the pair died.

"I would probably say within a few days of us entering the residence.

"I know from friends and family it had been several days that anybody had been able to get in contact with them."

He said there were no obvious indicators of what caused the deaths at the scene, which is why police are waiting for toxicology results.

"Once that is all done, we will get an autopsy report that will help us paint a better picture of what went on."

"Given the fact that the male deceased is not a Canadian citizen, we don't have records on him, so there's nowhere for us to go in relation to what we would do (normally) – contacting friends, acquaintances – we don't know who he knows in Calgary.

Treit says friends have indicated the pair were, at least at one time, in a relationship.

"Our understanding is that they were in a relationship – what that looked like, I don't know – (and) that he had recently come from the United States to visit.

He said they aren't, at this time, looking for any suspects and are exploring murder-suicide "as a possibility" for the deaths, though nothing can be determined until further testing has been done.

When asked if there are any other possibilities police are exploring, Treit responded "no." 

"There's two sets of families here who have lost loved ones, and everybody wants answers," he said.

Anyone with information about the deaths is asked to call police at 403-266-1234.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.