A crowd of people walked from Winnipeg’s West End to The Forks on Thursday in honour of Tanya Nepinak.
Nepinak was a 31-year-old mother who was last seen on Sept. 13, 2011, on Sherbrook Street. The walk on Thursday fell on Nepinak’s birthday, bringing mixed emotions to her aunt, Sue Caribou.
“She would have been 45 today, and we’re taking back her birthday,” said Caribou, adding that her family received devastating news on Nepinak’s birthday in 2013 that police had called off a landfill search for her body.
“I’ve been crying, I’ve been overwhelmed. A lot of mixed feelings.”
In 2012, police charged Shawn Lamb with second-degree murder in Nepinak’s death, but those charges were later stayed. Lamb was convicted of manslaughter in the deaths of two other women, Lorna Blacksmith and Carolyn Sinclair.
“It’s just sad that we continuously have to come out there and bring awareness to the fact that she’s still there and we hope that one day we get her back,” said Diane Bousquet, who was taking part in Thursday’s march.
Nepinak’s remains have never been found. Winnipeg police previously said they believed her body was dumped in a garbage bin and her remains are in the Brady Road landfill. Officers spent about a week searching the landfill for Nepinak’s remains in 2012, but they were never found.
“The landfills should be considered as crime scenes because there are human remains up there, and they keep putting trash on top of (it),” Caribou said.
Thursday’s walk ended with a gathering in the Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks, and a celebration to mark Nepinak’s birthday and honour her memory.
“I have a bit of hope that she’s somewhere,” Caribou said.
“We’re always hoping. We can’t give up on our loved one.”