Psychiatric assessment requested for suspected killer

Trevor Kloschinsky, 46, turned himself in to police on Friday and is now charged with first degree murder in the death of Rod Lazenby.

The man accused of killing a peace officer in Priddis appeared in court via CCTV on Monday morning.

Trevor Kloschinsky, 46, is charged in connection with the death of Rod Lazenby.

Kloschinsky's lawyer Stephen Jenuth requested a psychiatrist because of how his client was acting during the hearing. "You can see how he is on the screen, kind of leaning against a wall. I can tell you there was some difficulty interviewing him. I don't know if it was a physical problem or a mental health problem, but the guards had to hold the telephone to his ear, otherwise he wouldn't talk to me."

According to Jenuth, Kloschinsky is being held in segregation and thinks that Lazenby's death may be accidental.

He added that he can't go into further details because he is not Kloschinsky's permanent lawyer.

Lazenby was a retired RCMP officer and had been a peace officer for about three-and-a-half years.

RCMP are still investigating the exact course of events, but it seems Lazenby was called out early Friday morning to the Tangled Spur Ranch near Priddis.

A short while later, he was dropped off in his own SUV at the Calgary Police Service District 8 office in the southeast.

He arrived in critical condition, but died upon arrival at Rockyview Hospital.

Geoff Carpenter, head of bylaw for the M.D. of Foothills says that a peace officer is relatively safe, but any type of law enforcement carries an amount of risk.

“Whether you’re doing any kind of situation where you’re enforcing a rule or a law, you need to be on your best process all the time.”

Carpenter, a former Mountie himself, says there was an open investigation on the property due to the number of dogs being kept on the property.

Kloschinsky was evicted from a previous home in Turner Valley in 2009 after his landlord went to court to evict him because of several noise complaints due to barking dogs.

RCMP say that the animals are still at the Priddis ranch and are being taken care of by Calgary Animal and Bylaw Services.

The SPCA and Alberta Humane Society are making arrangements for the long-term care of the dogs.

Members of Lazenby's were at the High River RCMP detachment on Monday for an update on the case.

Police say the meeting was emotional for them and the family.

Lazenby is survived by his wife, Lolita, and five children.