A brutal crime has shaken Calgary to its core as details emerge surrounding the tragic murder of 41-year-old Arcelie Laoagan, a dedicated mother of five who came to Canada from the Philippines to provide a better life for her family. On the night of January 17, 2008, Arcelie was viciously attacked after finishing her shift at a downtown printing company. Just moments after she called for help, her screams echoed through the cold streets, but it would be hours before authorities found her lifeless body near a church, a heartbreaking irony for a woman of faith.

Witnesses reported hearing muffled cries for help, leading to frantic calls to 911, but the police response was hampered by frigid temperatures and an urgent search for a woman who had seemingly vanished. As dawn broke, the search turned grim when a passerby discovered her battered body, revealing the horrific truth: Arcelie had been brutally raped and murdered. An autopsy confirmed she died from severe blunt force trauma, her injuries so extensive that they shocked even seasoned investigators.

The investigation quickly zeroed in on 21-year-old Christopher Watcheston, whose DNA was found on Arcelie’s body. Surveillance footage captured him lurking near the scene, following her moments before the attack. In a shocking twist, Watcheston admitted to the crime during his trial, claiming he was inebriated and hallucinating, but denied intent to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁. His defense hinged on creating doubt about the sequence of events surrounding the murder.

Today, after enduring years of anguish, Arcelie’s family received some semblance of justice as Watcheston was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years. The verdict brings a painful chapter to a close, but the emotional scars remain. Arcelie’s 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, still in the Philippines, await a future that their mother dreamed of—a future that was cut tragically short. As the community mourns, they hold tight to her legacy of love and sacrifice, a stark reminder of the price paid for a better life.