A 19-year-old Thompson man has been charged with second-degree murder in the March 20 killing of Fletcher Mcdougall.
Joey Aitken Whiteway was arrested earlier today by police and will appear in provincial court April 18. He has been remanded in custody by a judicial justice of the peace until then.
Sgt. Line Karpish, an RCMP media relations officer for "D" Division in Winnipeg, said, "RCMP major crime services continues to investigate and further arrests are anticipated."
Whiteway is not the suspect depicted in a widely distributed police composite sketch March 22. "RCMP are still seeking a suspect described as shorter in height, heavy set and curly hair that appears to have been dyed reddish blonde," Karpish said. "He has fair skin, and was wearing a white sweater with a black logo on the front."
Anyone with information regarding Mcdougall's slaying is asked to call the Thompson RCMP at (204) 677-6909.
Mcdougall, 16, is believed to have been jumped outside the South Tower apartment building of Princeton Towers around 3 a.m. March 20. More than 15 homicide investigators have been working the case for 3 1/2 weeks, including sifting through surveillance videos from Thompson businesses. At about 3 a.m. on that early Sunday morning, "witnesses report an altercation near the south tower, at the Princeton Towers apartments in Thompson," RCMP said March 20. "Three males were seen fleeing the scene on foot, in a southeast direction of Ashberry Place. They are described as wearing dark clothing."
Police are not saying what caused Mcdougall's death: "The cause of death will not be released - as it is believed that only the killer(s) know what caused the victim's death," Karpish said March 25. Sources have said Mcdougall was jumped.
"Crimes Stoppers posters have been posted throughout the city ... in an effort to generate tips. Business surveillance videos from several Thompson businesses have been gathered by the investigators," Karpish said last month. "While it is expected to take time to sift through, investigators are confident - they will find the culprits."
There are three suspects in the slaying, but only one composite suspect sketch for one suspect, released March 22, has been circulated publicly so far.
Mcdougall is the first murder victim of 2011 and the sixth murder in the Eastwood area in less than 3 1/2 years.
