Parents praise police for arrests in Mountie deaths
A day after the RCMP charged two men in the slayings of four Mounties on an Alberta farm in 2005, the parents of one of the victims have commended the force.
"We had faith in you all along and you proved worthy of our faith."
With his wifeby his side, Myrol saidhe didn't believe the RCMP took too long investigatingafter James Roszkoshot the four officers before killing himself at a farm near the northern Alberta community of Mayerthorpe in March 2005.
On Sunday, the RCMP laid four counts of first-degree murder each against Dennis Cheeseman, 23, and Shawn Hennesey, 28, both of Barrhead, Alta. They were charged with first-degree murder because police allege they wereparties to the offence, aiding and abetting Roszko.
Brock's mother, Colleen, saidthey never lost hope despitea lengthy investigation that cost $2 million and required as many as 200 investigators and support staff.
"We knew all along in our hearts there had to be more to the story,"she said, referring to earlier speculation that Roszkohad help.
Keith Myrol urged the courtsto "please do what's right," now that arrests have been laid.
The Myrols said they were not surprised by the charges, but know a trial means they will have torevisit the nightmare just as they were beginning to heal.
Police declined to provide details about how the men allegedly helped Roszko, but some new informationabout thememerged Monday.
Hennesey, who is married to Cheeseman's sister, was an outstanding boxerwhoapparently got into brawls with other people in the past, Edmonton Journal reporter David Staples told CBC News.
In recent years,Hennesey had settled down with a wife and two children, he said.
Charges 'out of the blue,' says Mayerthorpe's mayor
Earlier Monday, Mayerthorpe's mayor described thefour counts of first-degree murderfor eachman as surprising and bittersweet.
"This came out of the blue. We didn't see it coming," Albert Schalm told CBC News.
"We knew for a long time an investigation was pending. It's sort of bittersweet news."
The shootings were the RCMP's biggest single-day loss in more than 100 years.
Roszko ambushed constables Tony Gordon, Leo Johnston,Peter Schiemann and Myrol,who had been at a stakeout on the property.
"I don't know these two individuals, I don't know their background,"Schalm said about the two men who were charged. "It's not really fair for me to make comments."
Schalm said hedidn't think thearrests would reopen painful memories.
"As for the deaths of the officers, we've dealt with that and that's behind us," he said. "Now we're looking forward to where we go from here. It's another chapter of the story."
Cheeseman and Hennesey will make their first court appearances on Thursday.