CALGARY (CityNews) – It was purported to be a break within the case into the suspicious loss of life of former CFL participant Mike Labinjo, however a press convention final Might become something however.
CityNews has been following the story of Labinjo’s household, who accuse Calgary police of “sloppy” work within the investigation of the soccer participant’s loss of life.
Greater than two years after Labinjo was discovered lifeless in his southwest Calgary condominium, and greater than 10 months after the police information convention, there are nonetheless no prices.
READ MORE: Household of former CFLer Mike Labinjo says police bungled investigation into his loss of life
“Her precise phrases to me was: ‘That is the break we’ve been ready for. Give us a few months. We’re going to construct a case and we’re going to go after these individuals for first-degree homicide prices,’” stated Randy Labinjo, Mike’s brother.
The household is talking out about how Calgary police satisfied them prices within the case had been coming quickly.
However their hopes had been dashed. And so they had been left feeling like police weren’t being sincere with them or the general public – and no nearer to catching Labinjo’s killer.
“[The officer] was like, ‘we’ve a bunch of rat traps set. We’ve got a plan. We’re going to arrest these individuals.’”
For the primary time, the household has revealed to CityNews the medical expert’s report decided Labinjo died of an overdose.
Randy thought that might shut the case. However then he says police known as to say prices had been coming.
The household travelled from Toronto to Calgary to take a seat down with the Calgary Police Service, and that’s when the tone of the investigation modified.
“An unnamed officer begins a dialog with us, and he goes: ‘99 per cent of people who find themselves discovered with medicine of their system once they die, did it to themselves,’” recounted Randy.
“And me and my mom sat there and had been like, ‘actually? Okay?’ And I sort of thought in my head, that is your mindset? That is the way you’re approaching each scene?”
ORIGINAL STORY: Former Stampeder Mike Labinjo lifeless
At that Might 2020 information convention, police stated public suggestions led to new data. And behind the scenes, Randy says investigators knowledgeable him {that a} witness had come ahead.
“And this most important suspect advised her that she killed Mike with fentanyl to rob him,” stated Randy. “And that it was a arrange. And Calgary police dismissed her, whereas we had been in Calgary doing the press launch, they’re telling us this individual isn’t credible anymore.”
Randy additionally alleges police knew the id of individuals in CCTV photographs they had been on the brink of launch to the general public.
“He stated, ‘if we put it on the market, like we don’t know what’s occurring and we don’t know these individuals,” stated Randy. “‘We’re hoping that these individuals react and fall into our rat traps.’
“I don’t know what these rat traps are, it simply sounds sloppy to me. You perceive what I’m saying? I’m sitting at a desk they usually’re calling their plan rat traps and ‘oh let’s deceive the media.’”
The Labinjos additionally confronted CPS about alleged errors comprised of the beginning.
Members of the family had been the primary to report lacking objects from Labinjo’s residence. Randy says he pointed police to the condominium’s cameras. Additionally they say they directed police to Labinjo’s daughter, who advised household unknown individuals had been within the residence the evening he died.
“Why didn’t your road cops test the cameras?” Randy stated he requested police. ‘Nicely they made a mistake they usually didn’t observe protocol and I can’t communicate on what they did as a result of I wasn’t there.’ And I stated ‘nicely we’re involved about this, like that is very severe. Why was none of this performed from the get-go?’”
“And I defined to them, I stated ‘look if I didn’t come from Toronto, you guys wouldn’t have by no means discovered the tape and we’d have simply thought that Mike had died in his sleep.’”
READ MORE: Former Stampeder Mike Labinjo loss of life deemed suspicious
The household describes the previous Calgary Stampeders star as a life-long athlete who, for a very long time, needed to take common drug exams. However they declare police pushed again in opposition to the concept that another person might have given Labinjo a deadly dose of medicine.
“He advised us in the course of the dialog that ‘we don’t imagine that anyone put the medicine into Mike, that he took it himself.’ I used to be like, ‘how are you aware this?’” stated Randy.
Their confidence in CPS badly eroded, the Labinjos say their questions in regards to the police investigation weren’t welcome.
“Once I sat down and had that dialog on the desk, it virtually felt like they had been in opposition to us,” stated Randy. “You realize what I imply? It was like, ‘you guys got here right here and we’re telling you that is how it’s.’
“I might suppose {that a} member of the family is coming to you and saying, ‘hey have you ever guys checked out this?’ And also you go, ‘oh yeah positive, let’s look into it, let’s see if there’s one thing there.’ With the Calgary police: ‘No, you’re unsuitable, you don’t know what you’re speaking about, you don’t know what you’re taking a look at.’”
The household additionally claims police questioned a few of the individuals proven on the CCTV footage the identical afternoon of the Might information convention, however they had been later launched.
CPS says the investigation stays lively: pic.twitter.com/LuFHIshvDg
— Crystal Laderas (@CrisLaderas) February 17, 2021
For its half, the Calgary Police Service says the Labinjo case remains to be lively. And says officers proceed to gather proof and interview recognized witnesses.
That is the second in a sequence of tales CityNews has on the loss of life of Mike Labinjo. CityNews may have extra on this story later this week.
