Tuesday, February 12, 2008
** Former Alberta paramedic murdered in Thailand
** Massachusetts authorities issue murder warrant for EMT
** Indian paramedics implicated in kidney transplant ring
CANADA NEWS
** A former Alberta paramedic, residing in Ranong, Thailand, has been murdered. The Nation (February 12) reported Dale Henry, 48, was shot dead while in his home February 3. Henry’s Thai wife Maneerat, 27, has been charged with the crime, along with her boyfriend and his uncle. According to police, the motive for the killing likely involved Henry’s $1 million (CDN) life insurance policy. A native of Victoria, Henry worked EMS in Cochrane, Alberta for a time before securing a job in Nigeria as Noble Drilling’s regional head of safety. The job involved rotations of two months in Nigeria and one month off. At the time of his death, Henry had been off work recovering from a leg injury incurred last summer.
UNITED STATES NEWS
** Authorities in Massachusetts have issued an arrest warrant for a Waltham EMT sought in relation to the killing of his ex-wife. The Boston Herald (O’Ryan Johnson/February 11) said the Norfolk District Attorney’s office is seeking to apprehend Andrew Boisvert, 37. Boisvert, who has worked for American Medical Response for ten years,  has apparently been on the run since last Thursday. The day before he hailed 911 to the victim’s home. According to the newspaper, Boisvert and ex-wife Margaret Ninos were involved in a heated custody battle over their 7-year-old daughter. Boisvert, apparently, only saw the child one weekend a month.
INDIA NEWS
** Paramedics working in five different Indian states were allegedly involved in a kidney transplant ring. That is the word from The Canadian Press (February 11) which said the scheme, possibly run by a doctor named Amit Kumar, involved donors being held at gunpoint while their organs were removed. Usually focussing on undereducated labourers, the newspaper said Kumar attracted potential candidates by the promise of work. Along with EMS personnel, several hospitals have also been implicated as have dozens of nurses and four other doctors. Kumar, whose case has been remanded until February 22, raked in millions of dollars throughout the nine years his operation was active.
