A 58-year-old Prince Albert man charged in a Rose Valley homicide is now in custody after Regina police picked him up on Monday, Saskatchewan RCMP said. Steven Kishayinew faces one count of second-degree murder in the death of Willard Buckle, 66, whose body was found last week.

How the case unfolded

Mounties were called to a home on Railway Avenue North in Rose Valley on the morning of Nov. 5 after a report of someone injured. Officers found Buckle dead inside. The RCMP's homicide unit and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service took over the investigation, and within about three days police had secured a warrant for Kishayinew, who according to the RCMP had left the scene.

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On Sunday, the force's major crimes branch went public with a request for help finding him. The next day, Regina Police Service officers located and arrested him.

What police had told the public

Before the arrest, the RCMP warned that Kishayinew could be armed and should not be approached. The force circulated a description and said he was known to spend time in Prince Albert, Rose Valley, Fishing Lake First Nation and Regina, and might be driving a maroon 2008 GMC Sierra with Saskatchewan plate 389 MQY. Members of the public were asked to report sightings rather than intervene.

Where the town sits

Rose Valley is a small community in east-central Saskatchewan, roughly 230 kilometres east of Saskatoon by one police estimate and about 250 kilometres north of Regina by another. The case drew attention beyond the region in part because the search stretched from a rural community to the provincial capital.

What happens next

Kishayinew remains in custody, and no date has been set for his first court appearance. A second-degree murder charge in Canada alleges a killing that was intentional but not planned in advance; it is for the courts, not police, to determine whether the charge is proven.

FAQ

Who is Willard Buckle?

He was a 66-year-old resident of Rose Valley, the community where RCMP found his body on Nov. 5.

Has a court date been scheduled?

Not yet. The RCMP said the date of Kishayinew's first appearance has not been determined.