EDMONTON – Four men have been charged in connection with three homicides in east-central Alberta and Saskatoon, including one where a man was decapitated and his severed head was later found in an Edmonton alley, police said Tuesday.

The homicides are believed linked to White Boy Posse gang, said representatives of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), Edmonton police and Saskatoon police who made the announcement at Edmonton’s “K” Division.

“These suspects are behind bars due to the collective efforts of all of the police agencies involved in these investigations. We speak with one voice when we say that violence like this will not be tolerated,” said Insp. Jerry Scott, officer in charge with “K” Division’s serious crimes branch. “Those who choose to engage in this type of criminal behaviour here in Alberta or elsewhere should know that there will be consequences. We can and will track you down.”

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Kyle Darren Halbauer, 22, and Randy James Wayne O’Hagan, both 22 and both of Lloydminster, Alberta, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Bryan Gower, whose body was found on a rural road near Kitscoty on Sept. 25. Both men have also been charged with attempted murder of a second man, whose name has not been disclosed.

O’Hagan also faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Robert John Roth Sr., 54, of Lloydminster whose partial remains were found near Ranfurly on Oct. 20. The victim’s severed head was found by a passerby in a northeast Edmonton alley five days later. Wainwright man Nikolas Jon Nowytzkyj, 32, also faces a charge of first-degree murder in this death. Both men have also been charged with offering an indignity to a human body.

Halbauer and O’Hagan also face first-degree murder charges in connection with 35-year-old Lorry Santos, who was shot and killed after she answered the door of her Saskatoon home to strangers on Sept. 12.

Joshua Petrin, 29, of Edmonton has also been charged with first-degree murder.

In announcing the arrests, the RCMP acknowledged the important role the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) played in these investigations. ALERT is mandated to address organized crime in communities throughout Alberta.

“When an investigation has links to organized crime, ALERT commonly steps in to support our partners,” said ALERT chief executive Supt. Ted Miles. “With the immediate public safety concerns addressed, our focus will now shift back to further investigating this group as a whole in order to have a lasting impact on organized and serious crime in Alberta.”

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Although charges have been laid, the investigations into these murders continue. Police ask anyone with information related to these or other crimes to contact their local police service or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).