Two men were arrested last week in connection with the April 9 murder of 67-year-old Patrick Alexander Leblanc.

The RCMP integrated homicide investigation team announced Tuesday that Glen Anhert, 28 was arrested in Brandon, Man. and Russell Benson, 38, was arrested in the Niagara region of Ontario. Both arrests occurred on Sept. 1.

The two have been charged with the second-degree murder of Leblanc, a Vancouver native.

Leblanc was found in an abandoned Cadillac in the back parking lot of Royal City Apartments at 225 Royal Ave. IHIT investigators announced in April that they believe Leblanc was murdered elsewhere.

On Tuesday, IHIT investigators confirmed that theory, saying that investigators went to a warehouse in the 1800 block of Victoria Diversion in Vancouver and soon identified that warehouse as the location where Leblanc was murdered.

After police searched the warehouse, they were able to advance the investigation, interviewing witnesses and securing evidence that allowed them to issue Canada-wide warrants for Benson and Anhert.

On Aug. 29, IHIT investigators travelled to Brandon and the Niagara region to prepare for the simultaneous arrests of their two suspects.

Insp. Kevin Hackett with the IHIT team said that while Leblanc's death had some connection with a business association between the three men, Leblanc's death "had absolutely nothing to do with illegal activity."

Hackett also said that Leblanc's death had nothing to do with organized crime or drugs.

As for the connection to the New Westminster apartment building, Hackett said; "The only connection was this was a place used to dispose of Mr. Leblanc's body."

Hackett also confirmed that the red Cadillac Leblanc was found in was his own personal vehicle.

New Westminster Chief Const. Lorne Zapotichny was present at the IHIT press conference and was relieved to hear the results of the investigation.

"I'm very happy to hear this was resolved in only five months," said Zapotichny. "Some of these investigations can take several years."

Zapotichny added that while New Westminster officers weren't involved in the actual arrests, he was kept abreast of developments in IHIT's investigation. Zapotichny was told prior to the arrests that the IHIT investigators were travelling east to make the two arrests.

"This is an example of how police agencies not only in the Lower Mainland region, but across the country, can work together and be highly effective," said Hackett.