Second suspect charged in Thunder Bay homicide investigation

THUNDER BAY – NEWS = Thunder Bay Police Service officers have arrested a second suspect in the death of Corey Patrick Russon, a 53-year-old man who died in hospital after an alleged assault earlier this year. The case matters locally because it marks a significant development in a homicide investigation that began with a call about violence in the city’s north side in early February.

Police say second accused taken into custody Friday

Thunder Bay Police Service said officers responded to a call about violence in the early morning hours of Feb. 8, 2026. Russon was found injured and taken to hospital with serious injuries. He died in hospital on Feb. 23, 2026.

Police have now charged 38-year-old Travis William Atataise with second-degree murder in connection with Russon’s death.

Atataise was transported to the Thunder Bay District Jail on Friday, March 28, 2026, and was expected to appear in court. The exact time of that appearance was not included in the information provided.

Another accused was charged earlier

Police had previously arrested and charged 33-year-old Mitchell Brian Bannon-Boucher with second-degree murder. He remains in custody.

The homicide investigation has now resulted in two people facing the same charge in connection with Russon’s death.

Charge carries the most serious penalty short of first-degree murder

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, murder is prosecuted under Section 235(1), which makes murder an indictable offence punishable by life imprisonment. Second-degree murder generally applies when a death is alleged to have been caused intentionally, but does not meet the added planning and deliberation requirements of first-degree murder under Section 231.

A conviction for second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence. The court must also set a period of parole ineligibility between 10 and 25 years, depending on the circumstances of the case.

Outstanding charges are allegations only

The information provided states that Atataise also faces outstanding violent criminal charges in Greenstone. Those matters remain before the courts and have not been proven.
As with all criminal cases, both accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Police investigation remains part of public safety picture

For Thunder Bay residents, the arrest of a second suspect underscores the seriousness of violent crime investigations and the long timelines that can follow major incidents.

In homicide cases, investigators often continue gathering evidence for weeks after an initial arrest, especially when a victim later dies from injuries first suffered in an earlier assault.

Anyone with information about the case is typically asked to contact Thunder Bay Police Service or Crime Stoppers.