The trial for Hunter Van Mackelberg, who was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Airdrie resident Kalix Langenau in February 2020, started this morning.
Van Mackelberg, 20 of Airdrie, is scheduled to start a 14-day judge-alone trial on Oct. 25. The Airdrie man is accused in the Feb. 15, 2020 homicide of Langenau, whose body was discovered southeast of Airdrie, in Balzac.
Langenau, who was 19 at the time of passing, was reported missing Feb. 15. His body was found in a field two days later, not far from CrossIron Mills Mall. An autopsy confirmed the manner of his death was a homicide, and Van Mackelberg, then 19, was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Prior to his death, Langenau was a hockey player and coach and a goalie-focused instructor for Explosive Edge Athletic Development – an Airdrie-based sport development business that offers local athletes supplemental training opportunities, alongside their regular-team program.
To honour Langenau’s memory, his parents John Langenau and Tracy Henderson, John's wife Betina Fillion and Kalix's aunt Kelly Henderson, created the Kalix Langenau Legacy Sponsorship Fund in 2020, in partnership with the Explosive Edge and East Side Sports. According to the Explosive Edge's website, the fund will provide grants covering 50 to 100 per cent of the cost of equipment or registration, depending on funds available and applicant qualification, for athletes 18 and younger to obtain equipment and participate in the Explosive Edge’s programs.
