WINNIPEG — Arriving in Winnipeg from Garden Hill First Nation, Ron and Lena Monias’ say this is the beginning of the healing process after their son Miles was murdered two weeks ago.
“Not knowing what to think, not knowing where to go and not knowing why to live, it was so difficult,” said Ron Monias at Perimeter Aviation on Wednesday.
His only son, 37-year old Miles Monias was beaten and left to die inside a bus shelter on Main Street on April 10th. He would have celebrated his birthday the next day.
“We cried and hugged each other, it was a hard time for us,” said Monias, after learning a man had been arrested Monday in Miles’ death.
John Paul Ostamas, 40, is charged with killing Monias and 2 other men last weekend. 48-year old Stony Bushie and 65-year old Donald Collins, all three men were street people and so was Ostamas. Police say just hours before the killings, Ostamas, was at the Winnipeg Hotel on Main street, where he lit a fire in a second floor bathroom.
Friday night around 6:15 pm, Bartender Mervin Koltusky smelled smoke and rushed to evacuate the building.
Police believe Ostamas lit the shower curtain on fire and left.
“You meet the odd person that comes in off the street and they try and do something stupid,” said Koltusky.
Staff and patrons say they had never seen Ostamas before and he was not staying at the hotel. His brother Richard says Ostamas struggled with alcohol and drug addictions and mental health issues.
More resources are needed says the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“This kind of outcome is devastating but it reminds us of how much more we need to keep continuing to push for the kind of supports,” said Marion Cooper.
Meantime, Monias will get a birthday party. His family will celebrate his life Friday, in the very place it was taken.
“I’m looking for closure,” said Monias, “one of the ways to start is by forgiving this man.”
Ostamas will appear in court at the end of May.
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