It’s been nearly one month since 25-year-old Victoria Levesque’s body was found east of Calgary.
For her long-time friends, it’s been a struggle trying to cope with her sudden and tragic death.
Pieter Holloway first met Levesque nearly a decade ago and saw the mother of two just a week before her body was found.
“I lost it. I was standing in the middle of Walmart when a friend called and asked if it was true. It was quite the shock.”
So far, no arrests have been made but investigators don’t believe it was a random attack. Police aren’t ruling out the possibility there was more than one crime scene.
RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters said Levesque’s friends have been co-operative.
“They are helping us with our investigation. They’re telling us who she associates with, where she was and where she was going.”
Investigators said Levesque lived a transient lifestyle and was no stranger to police. Her friends are adamant that was only one side of her life.
“She was so much more than a rap sheet and a record,” said friend Ashley Lawrence. “She was generous and would go out of her way to make sure the people around her weren’t lacking for anything.”
Levesque’s family, including her sister MLA Deborah Drever, have asked for privacy. A funeral service was held two weeks ago.
Now Levesque’s friends are planning their own memorial in order to get a chance to say goodbye.
They’ve carved out an entire weekend at the end of March during which a balloon release is expected to take place.
“She had so many people that knew her from so many different aspects that I think they’re talking about 200 to 300 people that are supposed to show up,” Lawrence said.
While preparations are underway, Holloway and others hope there will soon be a break in the case.
“We just want to know what happened and make sure she didn’t suffer for the last moments she was with us.”