There are horrible tragedies that take place in this country and around the world every single day. But once in awhile, there’s an incident that shakes a community – and entire country – to its core.

That’s most certainly the case in Calgary where three murder charges have been laid following the disappearance of Alvin and Kathy Liknes and their adorable five-year-old grandson Nathan O’Brien.

A “person of interest” singled out by police several days ago was formally charged Tuesday with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.

The charges were laid even though the bodies of the grandparents and child have yet to be found.

Douglas Garland, 54, was expected to be formally charged Wednesday morning and will join the ranks of some of Canada’s worst mass murderers if he indeed is found guilty of murdering three innocent people.

Because none of the three bodies have been found, police are urging property owners in the Airdrie area to search their property and call them should they discover anything suspicious.

Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson revealed on Monday during a heartbreaking press conference and it was clear this was no longer a missing persons investigation, but was now a multiple homicide investigation.

Millions of Canadians had hoped and prayed that this little boy and his protective grandparents would miraculously be found.

Little Nathan was reported missing June 30 when his mother went to pick him up at his grandparents’ home following a sleepover and was shocked to find no one there.

Police later confirmed a violent incident had taken place inside that home.

Dozens of police officers searched huge tracts of land for days until it was determined all three were dead, said Hanson.

One of the 900 tips forwarded by members of the public led police to property owned by Garland last week. Garland appeared in court last week on unrelated charges and was granted bail last Friday and release before being arrested in relation to this case early Monday.

While a country mourns, we are all left to wonder why anyone would resort to such senseless violence and destroy a family and shatter a community and country in the process.

And one family plans three funerals.