Calgary man charged with common-law wife's death

Policechargeda 44-year-old Calgary man with second-degree murderfor the death of his common-law wife, whose body was found Friday in a northeast home.

The Whitehorn address, which was known to police, is home to the couple in their 40s, and two roommates.

Police say they've responded to the homemultiple times in the past for domestic-related issues.

"We'll end up examining why the police were there over the number of different occurrencesit has been severalwe'll look at that internally how the police handle all of these investigations," said DutyInsp. Shawn Wallace.

The roommates arrived at the address in the3600 block of 39th Street N.E.Friday eveningand found the middle-aged woman dead and her partner of 10 years gone. At that point the pair called 911.

"We interviewed a number of witnesses; we received information that he frequented a location in the downtown area and, as a result, he was arrested at 3 a.m. MT without incident," Staff Sgt. Doug Andrus said Saturday.

Gregory Sanders Houlewas charged withsecond-degree murderlater on Saturdayandwill appear in provincial court Monday.

The identity of the victim will be released following an autopsy also on Monday. The woman's death is Calgarys eighth murder this year.

Neighbours worry about area

Esther Lac, a next door neighbour, told CBC News on Saturday that the couple who lived in the home seemed odd to her.

"[They were] not in their right mind," she said.

Lac said she has noticed police at the home before and once saw a woman struggling with officers.

Another neighbour, Richard Curtis, told CBC News he has also seen police at the home, but expressed surprise when he learned a woman was dead.

"I didn't think it would come to something like that," he said.

Curtis added he is starting to feel like the neighbourhood isnt safe, noting his roommate was mugged on their front lawn just four months ago.

"It's really becoming quite weird and, us with three kids, it's time to think about moving."