Man charged following fire that killed married couple: Winnipeg police
The Winnipeg Police Service homicide unit is investigating a fire at an Atlantic Avenue building that happened on September 14, 2024. (Gary Robson/CTV News Winnipeg)
The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) has made an arrest following a fire that claimed the lives of two people.
Alex Donald Courchene, 28, was arrested on Wednesday. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of arson with disregard to human life in the deaths of Geda Wodisso, 49, and Zenabu Gula, 38.
Courchene is in custody. None of the charges against him have been proven in court.
Police note the two victims were married and were not known to the suspect.
This arrest comes following a major fire at a commercial and residential mixed-use building in the 200 block of Atlantic Avenue on Sept. 14.
While fighting the fire, crews rescued Wodisso and Gula from one of the suites. They were taken to the hospital in critical condition where they were pronounced dead.
Two additional people were treated for smoke inhalation.
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