When former Prince George resident Timmy Engel was arrested this week on suspicion of a gruesome murder in Alberta, the allegation did not surprise his estranged father Erwin Engel, a resident of Mackenzie and Prince George.
In fact, said Erwin, he was afraid for his own safety around his son.
Timmy Engel is accused of luring a retired Alberta farmer, 77-year-old Otto (Bunty) Loose, into a position of vulnerability, extorting money from him via cheque and bank machine, then murdering the senior, cutting the body into pieces, and dispersing the body parts around the community of Claresholm.
This has not been proven in court, but should his son be found guilty, Erwin said, he would press for maximum sentences.
"[If found guilty] I would be so shocked if he ever walked the streets of Canada again," said the senior Engel. "That would be an absurd shock, to me. You hear about stuff like that. like the [serial killer Charles Manson] case. Where do you draw the line? There has got to be something done with that justice system."
His son should have been locked up at the time Loose went missing, said Erwin.
"He was on charges already [for an unrelated matter]. Don't they know his record? There has got to be some remedies made."
Erwin's voice faltered with emotion when he spoke of the victim.
"I talked to his daughter last night. She and I are going to get together. To me, the whole justice system totally failed [Loose]," he said.
According to Erwin, his son was raised by his mother after she and Erwin divorced when Timmy was two years old. He spent much of his childhood in Calgary, and became involved in street life early.
"He has done so much [prison] time. He's been in and out of jail constantly. In all the times he was in jail, nothing was ever done. The justice system, in my opinion, needs to change."
Erwin tried to employ Timmy in Mackenzie at his trucking and mechanical business many years ago, but his son's aggressive behaviour caused that to end quickly, said Erwin.
In 2005 Timmy committed a break-and-enter in Prince George that resulted in jail time and probation. Fearing for his own life at the hands of local gang factions, according to his lawyer at that time, Timmy decided to move from Prince George to Calgary about five years ago.
"You don't know what goes on behind the closed doors of the law until you're involved in it," Erwin said.
"Well I'm involved in it. Things need to change."
