Man, 28, charged with 2nd-degree murder, arson in deaths of married couple

A 28-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of a married couple after afire in Winnipeg on Saturday.

Firefighters and police were called to a fire in a mixed-use building on Atlantic Avenueshortly before 3 a.m. Saturday, where they found Geda Wodisso and Zenabu Gula, police said in a news release Friday.

The married couple were pulled out of one of the suites in the three-storey building and taken in critical condition to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Two other people were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire.

On Wednesday, police arrested Alex Donald Courchene, 28,in connection with the arson-related double homicide.

Investigators said the deceased married couple and Courchene didn't know each other.

Courcheneis in custody and has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of arson disregarding human life.

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