Leonardo had been staying with Elias and his sister, Milena Maria Duran, while visiting from the family’s homeland in Colombia.
The family, a close-knit group, was enjoying their experience living together in Canada, before everything changed in the early-morning hours of Nov. 13.
Leonardo was beaten to death, and Elias assaulted, after being approached by a group of four males and two female suspects, while walking home from the Latin club.
It is alleged that the suspects - not known to the complainants - attempted to start a fight with the two men, who ignored the suspects and continued to walk away.
The suspects then reportedly assaulted the two men, repeatedly punching one of the men in the face, while pushing the other to the ground, before kicking the 42-year-old Leonardo in the head numerous times.
Leonardo would succumb to his injuries later that Sunday afternoon. The Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on the deceased, confirming that Duran-Ibanez died as a result of injuries consistent with severe head trauma.
“We are still in a state of shock,” said Elias Malkum, standing on the street corner near 97 Street and 119 Avenue where he and his brother-in-law were savagely beaten back in November 2016. “We never thought something like this could happen to our family in such a peaceful place like Canada. We miss Leonardo every day. My wife, and Leonardo’s sister, is devastated.”
Despite a $40,000 reward being offered by the Edmonton Police Commission for concrete evidence that will help Homicide investigators make an arrest, limited information has been received to date.
“This brutal act of violence has traumatized this family,” said EPS Det Rick Thomas, leading up the homicide investigation.
“The family came to Edmonton for a better way of life. Now they’re left trying to piece their lives back together, with those responsible yet to be brought to justice. We’re hoping today, two years later, someone with valuable information will finally step forward and help to ease this family’s pain.”
Anyone who has information about this homicide is encouraged to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.