Midale in shock over deaths of restaurant owner, bookkeeper

People in the small town of Midale are still trying to process the deaths of a man and woman who were found dead a week ago in a local restaurant.

Residents woke up last Friday morning to find RCMP swarming around the Midway Restaurant and Bar.

Bernie Prawdzik, the owner of a variety store in town, identified the dead as restaurant owner Patrick Ng and bookkeeper Marylou Clauson.

“Everybody’s still in shock, they’re not… they just can’t believe that something like this would happen in a small town,” Prawdzik told 980 CJME.

He said he knew both of them, and said Ng would often talk business with him.

Prawdzik said Ng didn’t seem to have a mean bone in him but noted he didn’t seem quite the same in the months leading up to his death on Friday.

“He’s not the same guy that I knew for the last 30 years or more. Business was slow, and I said, ‘join the club, we’re all in the same boat,” Prawdzick

Bernie said Pat and him would talk business here and there and because the small town relies on the oil industry along with Ag — business has been pretty slow over the past couple of years. Bernie says Pat also told him the recent liquor law changes really put a halt on sales.

— Jessika Guse (@JessikaGuse) April 26, 2018

A mystery still remains as to why there are three crosses laid out in front of the restaurant which is boarded up.

RCMP have not released any further details about the deaths after autopsies were done Monday and Tuesday.

Police would only say the deaths are suspicious and the investigation is ongoing.