Dalhousie track athlete charged with first degree murder

A student-athlete at Dalhousie University in Halifax has been arrested and charged with first degree murder Tuesday, days before he was scheduled to begin medical school.

William Sandeson, a track runner at Dalhousie, was arrested  for the murder of fellow student Taylor Samson. Samson was reported missing last Sunday and Halifax Police has said they believe he has been killed, though the body has not been found. He was last seen in the 6000 block of South Street where he lived in a fraternity house at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Samson, a 22-year-old physics student, is believed by police to have been killed at 1210 Henry Street, an address where police believe Sandeson, also 22, lived. According to police documents, Samson is believed to have been selling marijuana. The two knew each other.

Sameson is believed to have been selling marijuana the night he was killed. According to a police document obtained by Global News, a friend of Samson’s told police “Samson seemed nervous about it since it was four pounds, a larger amount of marijuana than usual.”

Despite the lack of a body, Tom Townsend, acting inspector with Halifax Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, said to local media “we are comfortable with the fact that the investigation, once it goes through the court process, will show how in fact our victim, Mr. Samson, was murdered, where he was murdered at and the manner that that took place.”

Sandeson was last year a sprinter with the Dalhousie track and field team. He was to begin medical school on Monday.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.