RCMP allege murder conspiracy and an unfortunate case of mistaken identity in Didsbury

A child custody dispute, a conspiracy to commit murder and an unfortunate case of mistaken identity.

Those are the allegations laid out by Didsbury RCMP against four people arrested March 23 in central Alberta.

Police say the bizarre situation started to unfold on March 14, when a man was attacked from behind and repeatedly hitin the head with an object.

"While the investigation into that was taking place.... Two days later another man was assaulted and found unconscious outside a local business," said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Curtis Peters.

"When the investigators put the two together, they determined that the second individual that was assaulted was the intended target. The first gentleman was an unfortunate case of mistaken identity."

Peters said investigators concluded there was a plot by the alleged perpetratorsto kill the intended target as part of an ongoing child custody battle.

Charges laid

Both victims are recovering from their injuries and neither required hospital care.

Police said in a news release thatthey obtained a search warrant for a residence in Mountain View Countyand found a firearm, stolen property and drugs.

Jerry Aubut, Donna Marie Faulkner and Jesse James Hoffman have all been charged with:

• Conspiracy to commit murder.
• Aggravated Assault.
• Assault.
• Possession of stolen property.
• Possession of a controlled substance.
• "Various" weapons offences.
• Failure to comply with conditions.

Austin Cody Jay Graham wascharged with conspiracy to commit murder.

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