Suspect in 2004 Murder at Clinton Township's Imperial House Arrested in Canada

A 37-year-old man wanted in connection with a 2004 murder at the Imperial House has been arrested in Canada, The Oakland Press reports.

Kin Vukcaj is a suspect in the shooting that killed Ardijan Mitaj and wounded five others – all related to the victim – at the Clinton Township banquet center almost a decade ago.

Having disappeared after the shooting, police believed Vukcaj had fled to Canada and would eventually attempt to return to Albania. Approximately two months ago, he was identified and arrested in Montreal, The Oakland Press reports.

Vukcaj had been attempting to apply for government benefits under a false name at the time of his arrest. He was later convicted of possessing a weapon and prosecuted under Canada's gun laws, according to Clinton Township police and Macomb prosecutors.

A warrent for Vukcaj's arrest was reissued in October in 41B District Court in Clinton Township. Once extradited from Canada – a process that is expected to start next year – Vukcaj could face 12 charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder, The Oakland Press reports.

Canadian courts recently sentenced Vukcaj to 42 months in prison, but it is unknown if he will be required to complete his term, given the charges awaiting him in Clinton Township.

Police continue to investigate a second murder that may be tied to the 2004 case. On Jan. 28, 2008, the body of 32-year-old Gezin Vukcaj, a cousin of Kin Vukcaj, was found in a vehicle parked near the Imperial House. He had been shot in the back of the head, The Oakland Press Reports.

“The Albanian community is a closed community that has a reputation for solving problems on its own,” Assistant Macomb Prosecutor William Cataldo told The Oakland Press. “But you can’t escape justice with us.”

Extradition proceedings could take up to six months.