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Former North Vancouver football player charged with murder

Josh Boden charged in 2009 killing of ex-girlfriend
Kim Hallgarth

A former BC Lions player who rose from the ranks of high school football in North Vancouver has been charged with the second-degree murder of an ex-girlfriend, nine years after her death.

Josh Boden, 32, was arrested Friday in the 2009 killing of Burnaby mom Kimberly Lynn Hallgarth.

Hallgarth’s body was discovered at her home on Colborne Avenue on March 15, 2009.

Burnaby RCMP had been called to the four-plex for reports of an unconscious woman found inside, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

Officers arrived to find Hallgarth dead inside the home with “suspicious injuries,” and IHIT was called in to take over the investigation.

Boden was considered a “person of interest” early on in the investigation but was never charged.

After nine years, however, IHIT announced Monday new evidence had been gathered to advance the investigation, and charges have been laid against Boden.

“I realize the past nine years have been very difficult on Kim’s family, and my deepest condolences go out to them. I thank them for their patience and I hope the news of someone being held accountable for Kim’s death brings some semblance of peace,” IHIT Insp. Dave Chauhan said at a press conference Monday.

In a statement, Hallgarth’s family called on anyone with information about her death to come forward.

“We strongly urge the accused, his family, friends and acquaintances who were or are aware of any details related to this incident and withheld any information from the police to come forward now and do the right thing,” read the statement. “We understand the accused and his family have also suffered from this senseless act of violence. We can only hope that the accused will co-operate and help everyone involved move forward.”

Hallgarth left behind a young daughter who is being raised by the girl’s father in the United States.

He was scheduled to appear before a judge in B.C. provincial court on Monday.

Boden grew up on the North Shore and played football at Carson Graham Secondary before transferring to an alternative program at the Lucas Centre.

After leaving high school, he played with junior football teams in White Rock and Surrey before being invited to the BC Lions rookie camp in 2005.

Boden played briefly for the BC Lions as a wide receiver in 2007, before being cut after run-ins with the law.

-with files from Burnaby Now