New evidence key in charging former B.C. Lions player with 9-year-old cold case murder
Former CFL wide receiver Josh Boden charged with 2nd-degree murder in 2009 death of ex-girlfriend
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says new evidence was key in building a case against former B.C. Lion Josh Boden, who was charged over the weekend with second-degree murder in the cold case killing of his ex-girlfriend, Kimberly Lynn Hallgarth,
Hallgarth, 33, was found dead in her Burnaby home on March 15, 2009.
CHARGE LAID IN 2009 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IHIT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IHIT</a> COLD CASE: Joshua Boden has been arrested and charged w/ 2nd degree murder in the 2009 death of 33-yr-old Kimberly Hallgarth in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BurnabyBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BurnabyBC</a>. Mr. Boden will appear in court today. <a href="https://t.co/cE9J0gVEWS">pic.twitter.com/cE9J0gVEWS</a>
—@HomicideTeam"For us to arrive at today's outcome, it took a great deal of tenacity from all the investigators involved, both past and present," said Insp. Dave Chauhan, acting officer-in-charge of IHIT.
"Excellent foundational work was laid by investigators nine years ago, which continued into the present day."
In a statement, Hallgarth's family thanked IHIT's cold case team.
"We have waited nearly 10 long years for this moment and are relieved that closure is in sight. Only we know the unimaginable grief that our family has been going through and the toll it has taken on every family member."
Boden appeared in B.C. Provincial Court on Monday wearing a grey sweat suit. His next appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10. He didn't speak and remains in custody.
Boden, 31, was once a promising local high school football prodigy. He was named the Canadian Junior Football League's Rookie of the Year in 2005 for his season with the South Surrey Rams (now called the Langley Rams).
The B.C. Lions signed him to their development squad in 2006 and he made his CFL debut at wide receiver in 2007. He was released from the team in 2008 after being charged with domestic assault of Hallgarth. He was later acquitted on that charge.
Boden played one final CFL game with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in September of 2008 before being cut a short time later.
After his CFL career, he had several run-ins with the law.
In 2009, Boden was charged after Vancouver police officers reported seeing him grope two women in separate incidents at the Burrard and Commercial Drive SkyTrain stations on Aug. 25, 2009.
He was also charged separately for sexually assaulting a woman on Aug. 13, 2009, in her office building.
At the time, Vancouver police issued a rare warning to the public after Boden was released on bail, saying that he posed "a significant risk to the community."
In 2011, he was found guilty of both sexual assaults, as well as assaulting a police officer and obstructing a police officer.
In 2018, he faced another two counts of assault, failure to comply with conditions and two driving charges.
With files from Rafferty Baker