Manslaughter charge laid in connection to homicide of 19-year-old woman in Richmond

Charges have been laid against a suspect of the homicide of a 19-year-old woman in Richmond early Thursday morning.

23-year-old Solaris Onatta Running Dey has been charged with one count of manslaughter in connection to the death of Aspen Pallot.

Dey appeared briefly in court on Friday.

Pallot’s body was found in a home in the 7000-block of Westminster Highway shortly after midnight.

Police believe her death is suspicious. Cpl. Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) told reporters Friday that it appears Pallot and Dey were a couple.

“They were actually in a relationship together. But as far as his background – where he lived, or anything like that – I can’t speak to that at the moment,” said Jang.

Jang said Dey was arrested shortly after Pallot’s discovery, and that he remains in custody.

It’s not the first time Dey’s name has been in the news. In 2017 police put out a missing persons bulletin for Dey, who was at the time identified as a resident of Hornby Island.

IHIT said it is working with the Richmond RCMP and BC Coroners Service, and that a autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of Pallot’s death.

“The investigation is in its early stages and detectives believe this was not a random act,” Jang said in a media release.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-4448 or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.