(file photo/ CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Impartiality of police investigation during murder and extortion case called into question

Mar 16, 2021 | 5:05 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- Whether or not the Medicine Hat Police were unbiased in a murder and extortion investigation was called into question Tuesday during the trial of the accused Robert Hoefman.

During cross-examination of Staff Sgt. Trevor Humphries, the man in charge of the Major Crimes Unit, the court heard that an officer involved in the investigation had a close relationship with a person of interest in the case.

That person of interest was the former business partner of the extortion target.

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Earlier in the trial, the jury heard their business relationship had soured, and the target initially believed his former partner was behind the letters demanding $1 million.

Both the extortion target and business partner cannot be named due to a court-ordered publication ban.

While under cross-examination, the defence questioned Staff Sgt. Humphries if he knew the person of interest and the sergeant involved attended formal events together, including the policeman’s ball.

“I’m assuming that if you would have known that information you would have removed him from the investigation,” defence lawyer Ian Makay said,

Staff Sgt. Humphries said he was aware that the individuals knew each other but he wasn’t aware of how close they were.

He also testified that it wasn’t unusual for officers to know some of the people under investigation given the size of Medicine Hat

Later in the day, the court heard how an officer pieced together a letter found in a shredder that was seized from Robert Hoefman’s home.

The letter expressed anger at the extortion target for getting the police involved.

Testimony in the first-degree murder and extortion trial continues tomorrow.