A dispute over brownies apparently led to a double stabbing at a Burnaby homeless camp Monday night that left one man dead.

Rick Melanson's sister, Joyce Gibson, said Melanson, 47, and his stepson Alec Peters, 24, were stabbed by a third man following an argument at the camp in the 6800 block of Rumble Street.

Police found Melanson dead at the camp. Peters, who suffered two stab wounds, was treated at Burnaby hospital and released the same night. He told his family the dispute started over a plate of brownies.

Samuel James Calladine, 53, also a resident of the camp, was arrested at the scene and charged with manslaughter.

Calladine has a lengthy criminal record including aggravated assault and uttering threats. He made a brief court appearance Thursday and will be back in court, Nov.10.

Gibson said her brother had only been at the camp a couple of weeks after a dispute with his spouse. She said he was outgoing, cared about others and he and his stepson were close.

"He was an all-around good guy with a few demons like other people," she said. He loved working on cars and did autobody work.

He also did tattoos and Gibson says she was his first guinea pig.

Melanson who was born in Moncton, N.B. and lived in several cities including Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver suffered from anxiety and depression.

Fought for welfare rights

But his sister said that didn't stop him from fighting for the rights of people on social assistance.

He filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission after the Garrick Hotel in downtown Winnipeg evicted him for not allowing his landlord to open his mail.

"I didn't think it was right," he told the Brandon Sun at the time. "[I want] ... to stop it from happening to other people".

Byron Williams with the Public Interest Law Centre in Winnipeg, which worked with Melanson, said it was a landmark case that struck a chord and drew national attention.

"Publicity around his case sent an important message to landlords that people on welfare have rights and it sent an important message to people on welfare that you can fight back. There are people in your corner," he said.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said the death was not random. Cpl. Meghan Foster said Melanson and Calladine knew each other.

She also also said there was no link between this crime and the murder of Kevin Knuff in another camp in Burnaby on Oct 9th.

