Roommate charged with murder in Calgarian's mysterious 1996 disappearance

The Calgary Police Service has made an arrest in a missing person case that's more than two decades old.

On Tuesday, police charged Randolph Edward Westman, 57, of Edmonton, with second-degree murder and indignity to a dead body in the disappearanceofDaniel Boysis.

Boysis also known as Daniel Morgan Turner went missing in 1996. The 22-year-old was last seen at his home in the northeast Calgary community of Falconridgeon Dec. 1 of that year.

Disappearance not reported until 1998

His disappearance was not reported until 1998, when police were given information that led them to believe there had been foul play, the agency said in a release.

There was a homicide investigation at the time, but police said that due to a lack of evidence and the lack of a body, the case went cold.

CPS learned that Boysis and Westmanwere roommates at the time of the homicide. They had met in a community in northwest Alberta before moving to the city together.

"They had been friends for at least a number of months and they were living together at the time," said Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm in a press conference Wednesday.

Boysishad been leading somewhat of a transient lifestyleand his family had lost contact with him at the time he went missing, police said.

In June 2016, detectives began reviewing the file and gathering additional evidence.

Police said they believe Boysiswas killed by Westmanin the home the pair shared, and Westman then disposed of the body.

Family relieved, but saddened by new development

Chisholm said police don't think there is a strong likelihood that Boysis's body will ever be found.

He saidtheBoysisfamily has been informed of the new development in the case.

"From their perspective, they're glad to know what has happened to him, but at the same time to learn he's been murdered has been difficult for the family," Chisholm said.

He said DNA played a part in the investigation back in 1998, and that some materials have been resubmitted to the crime lab for further analysis.

While it's difficult to gather further physical evidence on a case this old, police said time can sometimes aid an investigation.

"Sometimes time is of a hindrance to an investigation, and sometimes time is a benefit to an investigation sometimes people's allegiances change, sometimes people's motivations to come forward change," Chisholm said.

Westman was previously known to police across the province, Chisholm said. He said the accused has not been co-operative with investigators.

His next court appearance is set for March 21 in Calgary.

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