Assault victim dies after being released from hospital, second-degree murder charge laid: police

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The Winnipeg Police Service has laid a second-degree murder charge after a 19-year-old man died two days after being released from hospital following an assault.

According to police, officers responded to the first 100 block of Isabel Street for a reported assault on Oct. 15 at 11:11 p.m. A suspect was found on a bicycle a short distance away and he was arrested without incident. The victim, later identified as Joshua Courchene, 19, was taken to hospital for treatment. He was released from hospital and returned to his home.

Two days later, Courchene was found dead at his home, and the homicide unit started investigating. According to police, following further investigation and consultation with the medical examiner, it was determined Courchene’s death was related to his original injuries. His death is now the city's 43rd homicide of the year.

Nineteen-year-old Jason Vincent Daniels of Winnipeg was originally charged with assault causing bodily harm for the initial incident and detained in custody. On Monday, police entered the Winnipeg Remand Centre and upgraded the charge to second-degree murder.

Daniels remains in custody and the charge has not been proven in court.