Estranged husband released by police

The estranged husband of a woman found murdered in her northwest home has been released by police but homicide detectives have not ruled him out as a person of interest.

Terri Ann Dauphinais, 24, was found dead in her Citadel home Monday.

Her three children — Gabriel, 4, Gideon, 2, and Caleb, eight months — were left alone with their mother’s body but were unharmed. They remain in protective custody.

The accused, 27, was questioned by police late Monday and continued to be interviewed Tuesday. He was released early Wednesday morning.

No charges have been laid, but Det. Craig Cuthbert of the city police homicide unit said the clearly focused investigation is continuing “full bore ahead.

“Everyone in Canada has a constitutional right to remain silent and, therefore, unless you have enough evidence to be able to prosecute, you will have to release him,” Cuthbert said.

“But a very specific investigation is continuing. There’s a set of footprints we’re following. The truth will come out.”

The accused has retained the services of well-known defence lawyer Patrick Fagan.

“(To not say anything) is my standard advice to anyone who is a suspect in a criminal investigation, let alone in a homicide, regardless of involvement or non-involvement,” Fagan said.

“If we’re going to provide the police with a statement, we’ll do it on our terms, not after my client has been kept in a cage for hours on end.”

Police were called to the Citadel home just after 10:30 a.m. Monday after Terri Dauphinais’s stepsister found her body inside. A neighbour heard her screams and phoned 911.

The cause of death is being withheld.

Cuthbert said Terri Dauphinais’s family was flying in from Ontario and had expressed an interest — along with a host of other people — in taking the three children into their care.

Joy Rawlins of Bullet Transportation, where the accused has worked part-time as a delivery truck driver since last November, said the accused would rather have the children returned to him.

“He’s still trying to find out about his kids,” she said.

The accused was picked up by police at the Flyer Force head office in northeast Calgary around noon Monday, where he was picking up a delivery.

“It’s a family matter and we’re dealing with it,” said his father, Robert Dauphinais. “We want everything to get back to normal. We’re trying to put this behind us, get our lives back together.”