Braden Herman was a member of Clearwater River Dene Nation in northern Saskatchewan. Photo: APTN News file
Police in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan are investigating the death of a 26-year-old Clear Water Dene Nation man and have charged a serving member of the Prince Albert RCMP with first degree murder in connection with his death.
According to a release, police were called to a wooded within the city on May 11. Prince Albert is located about 150 km northeast of Saskatoon.
The RCMP officer was not on duty at the time of the incident according to police.
The victim has been identified as Braden Herman. An autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday in Saskatoon, his brother Brett Herman told APTN News.
Charged is Bernie Herman, 52 – a 32-year-member of the RCMP.
The victim and the accused are known to each other, but are not related according to Brett.
Brett Herman says that his brother and Bernie Herman are both from the Clear Water Dene Nation. He says that Braden and Bernie had a history, but he’s not sure of the relationship they had.
He says when his younger brother was living with him last year that Bernie showed up off duty and not in uniform to talk to Braden.
“He came to my house one time unannounced… and they exchanged a few words. I don’t know what was says,” says Brett Herman.
Herman also says during the whole time Braden was living with him Bernie would drive by often.
“Bernie started making his presence known around my house around my street he would drive by my house like he was harassing my brother sometimes,” he says.
Herman says his brother never made a complaint to the local RCMP over the incidents and his brother never told him what was going on.
Brett Herman went to the Prince Albert Police to get some answers.
“The cops says the investigation is still ongoing I believe and they are very limited to what they can tell me, but they just told me my brothers body was taken care of that they have a fugitive in custody and he is or was an active member,” he says.
“I tried to get him to open up to me but my brother was documenting things I am pretty sure on his cell phone pictures videos etc., text messages between the two.”
The Prince Albert Police Service says the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of the Prince Albert Police Service is leading this investigation.
Bernie Herman is scheduled to make his first appearance at Prince Albert Provincial Court Thursday.
