Mother-of-three found dead in Sherwood Park home

WATCH ABOVE: RCMP are now calling the sudden death of a mother-of-three in Sherwood Park a homicide. Shallima Maharaj reports.

EDMONTON — Residents in the Foxhaven area of Sherwood Park say a mother-of-three was the victim of what RCMP are now calling a homicide.

Neighbours say Paula Stiles lived with her three daughters in the home where she was found dead Wednesday afternoon. On Friday, RCMP confirmed 44-year-old Stiles was the homicide victim.

Neighbours describe Stiles as a very friendly, welcoming woman.

“At Halloween-time, their house is always one of the most decked-out houses on the street and it’s always the most fun house to go to every year,” said Jennifer Goodwin, who has lived in the neighbourhood for about three years.

A mother herself, Goodwin said it’s heartbreaking to hear of Stiles’ death.

“We worry about the family and their girls,” Goodwin said.

“To see something like this really tears your heart for them.”

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Stiles separated from her husband last year, neighbours said Thursday. A short time later, Stiles met Kirk Babiak and the pair had been in a serious relationship ever since.

“They were just so suited for each other, and so it was as though we were all instantly family,” said Todd Babiak, Kirk Babiak’s brother.

“Paula was right away really involved in my nephews’ lives and Kirk was involved in her daughters’ lives. The kids were all together all the time.”

Todd Babiak described Stiles as a great mom who was the most generous person he’s ever met.

“I was just amazed by her,” he said Thursday. “She oriented her life around making other people happy and you could just feel that as soon as she was in the room. She was that special kind of person who, no matter what, you just always know she’s going to be thinking of other people than herself and doing marvellous things.”

RCMP said they were called to a report of a sudden death around noon Wednesday. The home remained blocked off by police tape Friday morning.

An autopsy has confirmed Stiles’ death is a homicide, but RCMP said Thursday the cause of her death would not be released at this time.

RCMP said Friday no arrests had been made, but in a media release insisted “the community is now, and continues to be one of the safest and secure locations in all of Alberta.”

“The police had said that there’s nothing for us to worry about as neighbours and just to kind of continue on,” said Goodwin.

Officers from Edmonton’s Major Crime Unit have been called in to assist in the investigation.

Anyone who may have information on the woman’s death is asked to call the Strathcona County RCMP at 780-467-7741. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

With files from Shallima Maharaj, Global News.