Winnipeg police have made an arrest in the death of a 31-year-old Winnipeg woman who was found unconscious and injured Saturday night in the Maples area.
Justin Alfred Robinson, 29, has been charged with second-degree murder in the incident, as well as failing to comply with probation. He remains in custody.
Police have identified the victim as Tessa Perry. She was taken to hospital in critical condition, where she later died.
Witnesses told Global News Perry was being violently beaten with a 2×4 outside her home as onlookers screamed for the suspect to stop. They immediately called 911 and chased after him when he walked off.
“The suspect was not on scene as police officers arrived. There are several factors that determined where the suspect was located involving some also some help from the community members as well,” Cst. Claude Chancy told Global News.
Police say this was a case of domestic violence.
“This was a very violent assault,” Cst. Claude Chancy said. “The amount of trauma that’s been inflicted as a result of this event, it’s immediate and it’s far reaching.”
Police also said drugs and alcohol were involved in the assault.
Perry’s family told Global News Robinson is her ex-partner and the father of the youngest of her four children.
“She moved here, you know, to start over. Just get a fresh start,” he cousin Chelsey Merasty-Moose said. “Just totally heartbreaking… It’s just so tragic. She was just a beautiful soul.”
Officers also added there was prior police involvement.
“Often domestic violence is not a one time occurrence, and it is sometimes that it does escalate into what we have it as as we have in this particular incident… the demise and the murder of a victim,” Chancy said.
A GoFundMe account has been started to help raise money to support Perry’s children who are left without their mother.
The family is also holding a vigil on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. where she was killed.
Anyone with information about the incident, which took place in the 100 block of Marlow Court, is asked to call homicide investigators at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).