A man convicted as an accessory in the brutal slaying of a former St. Albert resident was shot dead in front of his home last week.
Edmonton police said they were called to a house in west Edmonton late Thursday night to investigate a weapons complaint. Officers found the body of Jason George Costouros, 32, in the driveway.
“Neighbours and police attempted to resuscitate the victim, but were unsuccessful,” a press release stated.
Costouros had a history of violent crimes and aggressive behaviour but received wider media attention after pleading guilty to being an accessory in the murder of St. Albert resident David Wong in 2008.
Police found Costouros and three others in the process of dismembering Wong’s body in an Edmonton apartment in February 2007. Wong had died as a result of 158 stab wounds. His killer was never found but Costouros and the three others were charged for their role in trying to dispose of his remains. A parole board report suggested Wong’s death was linked to organized crime and the drug trade.
Costouros continued to show violent and aggressive behaviour after his conviction. The parole board denied his early release in 2011 based on a string of assaults in and outside of prison, including death threats against guards, other inmates and associates outside of prison.
On Thursday, one neighbour told Global Edmonton that Costouros had lived with his parents and was trying “to straighten up.” He is Edmonton’s eighth homicide victim of 2015.
The police continue to investigate the shooting. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information can contact Edmonton Police Services at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.
