VIDEO: 53-year-old man arrested in Tina Fontaine murder case

WINNIPEG — Police say an arrest has been made in the murder of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine.

“The murder of this child, and let’s not forget she was a child, has shocked and outraged our community and I think that outrage has resonated across our nation,” said Deputy Chief Danny Smyth.

Raymond Joseph Cormier, 53, was arrested in Vancouver on Wednesday. He was originally from New Brunswick but resided in Winnipeg for some time.

READ MORE: What we know about Tina Fontaine’s accused killer, Raymond Cormier

He  has been charged with second degree murder.

“Investigators discovered Tina frequented a residence on the east side of the city and investigators also discovered Raymond Cormier often frequented that residence,” said Deputy Chief Smyth. “It is believed Tina and Cormier were acquainted. It is believed Tina and Cormier had several encounters and he that he murdered her on the last encounter.”

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The Winnipeg Police Service received help from police in Vancouver, Calgary and the RCMP. The investigation used forensic examinations, witness interviews and covert operations.

“This has been an extremely long and complex investigation,” said Sgt. John O’Donovan. ” I can’t even count the amount of man hours that have gone into it.”

Police said the arrest wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Winnipeggers.

“We followed the evidence and the evidence came to us because the people of Winnipeg and Manitoba kept bringing evidence to us,” said Sgt. O’Donovan.

Fontaine’s great-aunt, Thelma Favel, told Global News that “she will be able to sleep easy tonight”.

WATCH: Thelma Favel reacts to man arrested in Tina Fontaine murder case

READ MORE: Tina Fontaine’s family suffers more violence on day arrest announced

Fontaine’s body was pulled from the Red River on Aug. 17, 2014.

Fontaine spent most of her life with her great-aunt Thelma Favel on the Sagkeeng First Nation, about 70 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. She had a history of running away and went to Winnipeg about a month before her death to visit her biological mother.

READ MORE: Headstone marks 1 year since Tina Fontaine’s body found

Fontaine was in a vehicle pulled over by two Winnipeg police officers on Aug. 8, 2014 more than a week after she was reported missing. She was not taken into custody. Police later acknowledged she should have been taken into custody because she was a ward of Child and Family Services who had been reported missing.

READ MORE: Family fumes about no charges in police handling of Tina Fontaine