The body of a 33-year-old mother from a First Nation in Manitoba has been found in a Winnipeg landfill, and police say they consider the circumstances surrounding her death suspicious.
Staff at Winnipeg’s Brady Road Resource Management Facility discovered the remains of Linda Mary Beardy on Monday afternoon and reported their finding to police around 3 p.m., police said.
“I can confirm at this time we have no information to suggest that there are any other victims or that this investigation is related to any previous incidents,” Insp. Shawn Pike, with the Winnipeg Police Service’s major crimes division, said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
Workers discover body of Linda Mary Beardy at Brady landfill
The body of a 33-year-old mother from a First Nation in Manitoba has been found in a Winnipeg landfill, and police say they consider the circumstances surrounding her death suspicious.
“I wish to express our sincerest condolences.”
Pike would not talk about the cause of death, and it isn’t clear when Beardy died, he said.
A police car sits behind barricades blocking access to the Brady Road landfill in Winnipeg on Tuesday. (Megan Goddard/Radio-Canada)
Her death is considered suspicious but isn’t yet classified as a homicide, Pike said.
Beardy, who was from Lake St. Martin First Nation in Manitoba, was living in Winnipeg before her death, he said.
Investigators believe Beardy’s remains were left at the landfill by a garbage truck and found within a couple of hours of being deposited, he said.
The entire Brady Road landfill operation has been paused while investigators work there, he said.
Winnipeg police Insp. Shawn Pike said as far as investigators know at this time, there is no connection between the death of Linda Mary Beardy and past cases. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham credited Brady landfill staff for their vigilance.
“We as a society can never grow numb to this,” he said at city hall Tuesday afternoon.
“This is horrible. We can never get used to this. This always needs to spark within us outrage, concern, grief,” the mayor said. “We need to value Indigenous women.”
Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation Chief Trevor Prince, who knew Beardy, said he was devastated by the news.
He met Beardy 15 years ago, and she was also the ex-partner of a friend of his who has also since died, Prince said. That friend and Beardy had children together, the chief said.
“It’s very sad and it breaks my heart … to hear that we lost another First Nation woman to violence,” he said. “She was a caring, loving mother.”
Prince said crisis response teams would be on hand at a vigil planned for Tuesday evening at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre’s Gathering Place for Truth and Reconciliation, located at 445 King St. in Winnipeg.
Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation Chief Trevor Prince knew Beardy. (Olivia Stefanovich/CBC)
He believes a broader search of the landfill should be conducted.
The location of the remains of a fourth, unidentified woman, whom community members have named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, or Buffalo Woman, are unknown, but Skibicki has also been charged in connection with her death.
Pike said investigators have no reason to believe Beardy’s death is connected to any other cases.
Her next of kin have been notified and Winnipeg investigators remain in touch with Indigenous leadership, Pike said.
‘I’m heartbroken for my community’
Cambria Harris’s mother Morgan Harris was killed last year. Police believe her body was deposited at Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg. On Tuesday, after news of Linda Mary Beardy’s body being discovered at Brady Road landfill, Harris reiterated her calls for a full search of the sites, citing disproportionate rates of Indigenous women going missing.
Cambria Harris, Morgan Harris’s daughter, said Winnipeg police notified her of the news before the announcement.
“I appreciated it, but I still felt a little bit saddened and disrespected that it has happened again only a few months after what happened to my mom,” she said. “It’s traumatizing.”
“May justice be brought to this woman and her family.”
Beardy, 33, is from Lake St. Martin First Nation. She was living in Winnipeg before her death, police say. (Submitted by Melissa Roulette)
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said the federal government will be discussing the latest death with Mayor Gillingham and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
The “horrific and devastating” discovery of the 33-year-old woman’s body “represents a fear that Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people live with on a daily basis,” he said in a statement, promising to work “with partners in Winnipeg, and across Canada, to end this crisis.”
Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to contact Winnipeg police at 204-986-6508.
Winnipeg police release details about body found at Brady Road landfill
WARNING: This story contains distressing details. The body of 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy from a First Nation in Manitoba has been found in a Winnipeg landfill, and police say they consider the circumstances surrounding her death suspicious.
If you or someone you know needs immediate emotional assistance, call 1-844-413-6649. This is a national, toll-free 24/7 crisis call line providing support for anyone who requires emotional assistance related to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
OTTAWA – The pressing issues of climate change and food security join more familiar ones like violent extremism and espionage on a new list of Canada’s intelligence priorities.
The federal government says publishing the list of priorities for the first time is an important step toward greater transparency.
The government revises the priorities every two years, based on recommendations from the national security adviser and the intelligence community.
Once the priorities are reviewed and approved by the federal cabinet, key ministers issue directives to federal agencies that produce intelligence.
Among the priorities are the security of global health, food, water and biodiversity, as well as the issues of climate change and global sustainability.
The new list also includes foreign interference and malign influence, cyberthreats, infrastructure security, Arctic sovereignty, border integrity and transnational organized crime.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette returned to the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a right middle finger fracture.
The move, retroactive to Wednesday, essentially ends an injury-plagued season for Bichette.
He had two hits and one RBI in a 13-8 loss to Texas on Tuesday in his return from a 52-game stint on the IL with a right calf strain.
Bichette also missed nine games due to the calf issue in June.
His latest injury was suffered Wednesday during infield practice. Bichette was a late scratch in a 2-0 loss to the Rangers.
Bichette hit four homers with 31 RBIs in 81 games this season. He posted a .225 batting average and a .322 slugging percentage.
The Blue Jays also recalled outfielder Jonatan Clase from Triple-A Buffalo. He was active for the series finale against the Rangers on Thursday afternoon, the team said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Falcons wide receiver Drake London was penalized after catching a touchdown pass in the final minute of Atlanta’s 22-21 victory in Philadelphia on Monday night for pretending to shoot in the air, a violation of a longstanding NFL rule that prohibits violent gestures.
London immediately apologized on the sideline, according to Falcons coach Raheem Morris, and did it publicly on Wednesday.
“There’s a lot of stuff going around in the world with gun violence that I don’t think I should have displayed there,” London told reporters. “So, I’m not too happy with it, and (you) probably won’t see that again from me.”
The NFL has strict rules for celebrations and players are reminded annually that violations will result in unsportsmanlike penalties.
London’s 7-yard TD catch on a pass from Kirk Cousins tied the score at 21-21. His penalty pushed the extra point back 15 yards but Younghoe Koo made it from 48 yards out to give Atlanta a lead and Jessie Bates intercepted Jalen Hurts’ pass on the ensuing drive to seal the victory.
“We approach player celebrations as expressions of exuberance that are part of the excitement of the game. Rules were modified in 2017 that permitted group celebrations, including choregraphed demonstrations. Offensive demonstrations, celebrations that are prolonged and delay the game, and those directed at an opponent are still penalized,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. “Players are reminded annually and it’s part of the player manual that demonstrations that constitute taunting or unsportsmanlike conduct, or delays the game, will result in a foul against his team.
“Also prohibited acts that occur anywhere on the field or sideline include longtime prohibitions against throat slash; machine gun salute; sexually suggestive gestures; or stomping or demonstrations on a team logo.”
London’s celebration came 12 days after four people were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia. The Falcons hosted the school’s football team at their practice facility last week.
