Charges laid in Stoney Creek murder

(Update)

Hamilton police have released the name of a Stoney Creek man charged with first degree murder in the death of a woman in an east end Hamilton apartment building. Melissa Raftis has more.

Forensic investigators spent most of the day searching an apartment on the 5th floor of this building. We could see police taking photos on one of the unit’s balconies.

And just a few hours later, the victims body was removed. Police say they received a call around 11pm Tuesday night from a man at Eastgate Square down the road saying he told them he had just killed a woman.

When police arrived at this building they did find a woman’s body inside. They have not said how she was murdered. And have yet to release her name. Wednesday afternoon, police charged 35-year-old Dalibor Klarica with first degree murder. We spoke with one resident who lives on the 5th floor who told us they don’t know who lives in the unit police where searching, and says they keep to themselves. It’s unclear how or if the victim knew the accused. We also spoke with many other people in the neighbourhood who say this is a very safe and well-kept building. And they were all very surprised to see police cruisers and forensics vans parked along their street Wednesday morning.

“I’m out walking the dog in the area and he was before that and there’s lots of people who do that in the area. So I’d imagine there are lots of people worried about that in the area.”

“It’s very disturbing because it’s alwaysd been known as a nice apartment there. It’s expensive to live there, and we’ve never had any problems. It’s just very disturbing that it’s so close here now and this has happened.”

“We thought this area was safe and it’s just really shocking to find out this happened in this area.”

This is the second murder in Hamilton in less than a week. On Saturday ex-Hells Angels member 49-year-old James Malone was shot to death while walking his dogs on Kenilworth Ave. Police are still investigating that murder.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Benoit Thibodeau at 905-546-3926, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.