Alberta Mountie charged in wife's death

Police tape blocks off the home on Jefferson Road where an RCMP officer's wife was found dead on Saturday. (Andrea Huncar/CBC)

An RCMP constable has been charged with second-degree murder after his wife was found dead inside their southeast Edmonton home.

Tirth Sehmbi, 36, was arrested on Saturday. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday.

Police were called to the couple's home in the Mill Woods neighbourhood at about 4 a.m. MT Saturday after reports of shots being fired.

Sehmbi's wife, whose name has not been released, was found dead inside the home.

Sehmbi was arrested at another location, which police have not disclosed, at about 5:30 a.m. MT.

Police have refused to say how the woman died, saying an autopsy will determine the cause of death.

Neighbours said the couple's two young children are now with family members.

RCMP spokesman Peter Hourihan said the force is "deeply saddened" by the incident.

He said Sehmbi had taken his police-issued gun home with him because that was part of his job.

Hourihan said officers have to be ready to do their jobs at any time and taking their guns home is police policy.

However, he refused to say whether the police firearm was used in the woman's death.

Sehmbi has been on the force for over seven years and worked as a traffic officer with a detachment in the Edmonton area, Hourihan said.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which has jurisdiction over all sworn police officers in the province, is investigating.

RCMP originally mistakenly reported the charged constable's name as Tarith Sehmbi. In fact, his name is Tirth Sehmbi. July 12, 2010 | 1:15 MT

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