Murder charge laid in N.W. killing

Police have charged aman from the Philippineswith murder in connection with a death earlier this year in the city's northwest.

Joel Zalsos, 36, was found deadon the morning of Jan. 4 at a home in the 1100 block of 18th Avenue N.W.

Police revealed Tuesday that Zalsos was stabbed to death.

On Monday evening Franco Sevellan Sevandal, 32, of Calgary, was taken into custody and charged with one count of second-degree murder. More charges are possible as the investigation continues, police said.

Zalsos had recently arrived in Calgary from the Philippines to be with his wife, who had been in the country several years already, police said.

Staff Sgt. Rick Tuza said the suspect, also from the Philippines, became a person of interest early in the case.

The two men knew each other through Zalsos's wife, Tuza added.

Members of Zalzos's family said they believe the suspect was romantically linked with the victim's wife.

But Tuza wouldn't confirm that a reported love triangle was at the root of the investigation.

"It was a long investigation there's a lot of steps that take place in an investigation. Pressure gets put on people. And with all that pressure we usually funnel in on a particular person and that's what happened here,"Tuza said.

Sevendal has been in the country for two years and is not a Canadian citizen, police said, adding that they are working with federal immigration officials on the file.

Hisfirst court appearance is set for March 10.

Investigators are asking for anyone with information about the case to call police or Crime Stoppers.