False tips, narratives complicate difficult investigation death of Samuel Bird: EPS

Four and a half months after 14-year-old Indigenous teen Samuel Bird was last seen alive in the west Edmonton Canora neighborhood. Police have arrested and charged a 38-year-old man with second-degree murder.

Detectives say the investigation leading to these charges was complex and made more challenging by false narratives and tips on social media.

“This investigation has had many, many roadblocks, twists, turns, and the last three weeks have been probably the most active in the entire case,” said Det. Jared Buhler, with the Edmonton Police Service’s homicide section.

Edmonton police found Samuel Bird’s remains on Thursday, while investigators began combing rural land near Carrot Creek, an hour and a half west of Edmonton, last week.

Bird was found far from that search zone, in a treed area near a farmer’s field, west of Edmonton and south of Stony Plain.

Thursday, 38-year-old Bryan Farrell was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and interfering with a body in relation to the homicide of Samuel Bird.

But Detective Buhler says getting to this arrest was difficult. Investigators wasted several days sorting through the public’s assumptions and accusations, adding that any social media allegations against kids close to the boy, including videos depicting the boy’s death, sent to Samuel’s mother, are false.

“We have fully investigated this. We now fully understand the circumstances and all the nuances that led to this. Anyone in the public who thinks they have a better understanding than that needs to give their head a shake right now,” said Buhler.

Buhler says while this impacted the investigation, it did not delay the arrest or recovery of the remains..

It’s a relief, says police Chief Warren Driechel.

“It really, really hampered the investigative flow here, and I think it’s something that we all need to reflect on. The people out in the netherworld and social media need to reflect on that. If they truly want to help the police, sometimes maybe saying nothing is the best,” said Driechel.

Along with charges relating to the homicide of Samuel Bird, Farrell also faces 13 other charges, including arson, disregard for human life, and fraud charges for a fire at a home in the Canora neighbourhood, as well as weapons and firearms charges, and assault against peace officers where bear spray was used, as well as a charge for and uttering threats directed at Samuel Bird’s mother.

Police are not looking for any other suspects in relation to the homicide, but the investigation continues.

Farrell is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 20.

-With files from Elliott Knopp