Money woes blamed for northern Alberta murder-suicide http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/world/Money+woes+blamed+northe...

Global News Canada | World | Money | Health | Sports | Entertainment | Weather | Video | Photos

GlobalTV.com Mobile RSS Contests Classifieds

Home Video Weather Events Programs Personalities Schedule

Global Edmonton World

LATEST VIDEO
Money woes blamed for northern Alberta
murder-suicide
Grieving father says his former in-law snapped under pressure, killing family

Alexandra Zabjek, Edmonton Journal: W ednesday, July 29, 2009

Money was getting increasingly tight

News Hour: Aug 3
for Ian Paget.

Financial pressures may have

caused the Smith, Alta., man to
snap Sunday when he apparently
killed his wife, daughter and
granddaughter and then himself, his
former son-in-law says.

"This didn't just start on Sunday,"

said Terry Eliuk, whose
nine-year-old daughter Misty was
murdered. "It wasn't a big happy
family."

Misty Eliuk, one of the victims of a four person murder-suicide in a remote Eliuk and Paget were neighbours,
northern Alberta town called Smith on Sunday July 26 2009.
their rural properties within walking
Photo Credit: Courtesy of CTV, Edmonton Journal distance.
RELATED
They were also in-laws until Eliuk separated from his wife,
Jolene Eliuk, Misty Eliuk's Jolene, Paget's daughter.
mother, was one of the
victims of a four person
Jolene went back to live with her parents. The couple's two TOP STORIES
murder-suicide in a
remote... young children, Misty and Dusty, went between the two
houses.
Neighbours shocked by
murder-suicide in northern Eliuk believes Paget may have been almost $500,000 in debt
Alberta
and was in danger of losing his land by the fall.

Four die in farm tragedy in

The week before the murders, Paget went to Eliuk's property.
northern Alberta
It was the first time he had visited in five years, since around
the time Eliuk and Jolene separated.

Eliuk had invited him over several times. He figured they could be neighbours, even if they were no

1 of 3 8/4/2009 12:44 PM
Money woes blamed for northern Alberta murder-suicide http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/world/Money+woes+blamed+northe...

longer related.

They talked about a pending custody dispute involving the children. Jolene apparently wanted to leave
Smith, but Eliuk didn't want the couple's two children to move away.

Eliuk believes Paget was under tremendous financial pressure to support the household, and deeply in
debt. He said Paget's family spent his money freely.

Eliuk thinks Paget snapped.

"It's not that I've forgiven him or that I want to. I understand what he was going through."

After his visit with Paget, Eliuk believed something would blow up. Maybe there would be a fight.
Maybe Paget would sell his land. Maybe Joan, who had split from Paget years ago but

had moved back into his house in 1991, would leave again.

He didn't suspect the 58-year-old man could kill anyone.

Eliuk spoke calmly, if hesitantly, about the circumstances leading to the deaths.

He grew up on a farm outside Clyde and has spent most of his life keeping to himself. The number of
people who have entered his life in the last week has been overwhelming, he said.

Victims services workers from Slave Lake visited Eliuk and his 12-year-old son on the weekend. The
boy and Misty may not have been "tight as twins," Eliuk said. "But for brothers and sisters, they were
the best I saw at getting along."

A medical examiner started autopsies Tuesday afternoon. Memorial services for Misty and Jolene are
planned for this Saturday.

Misty was a happy kid who was always smiling. She loved art, the colours pink and purple, and had a
white horse she named Pegasus.

The last time Eliuk saw Misty was at Paget's house, where he had gone to drop off books last
Thursday. His daughter came to him with a bowl of cherries and offered him one.

Eliuk wrapped his arms tight around her.

"I grew up in a house where hugs were only on TV. I wanted to do things differently," he said. "I gave
her a big hug. I pulled her feet right off the floor."

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Print Share

About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Copyright | Media | Advertise | Contact Us | Sitemap
Global TV | HGTV | Showcase | Slice | Food Network

2 of 3 8/4/2009 12:44 PM