Nanaimo woman charged with 1st degree murder in case of missing Indigenous man

A 26-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder and indignity to human remains in the alleged2020 murder and disappearance of Sidney Manteein Nanaimo according to the Nanaimo RCMP.

Paris Larocheof Nanaimowas arrested on Wednesday and remains in custody. She is scheduled to next appear in Nanaimo Provincial Court on March 21.

In October2020, police issued a public appeal to help locate the 32-year-old Indigenous man.

RCMPwere alerted of his disappearance by Mantee's family in Saskatchewan, who said they had uncharacteristically not heard from him since March of that same year.

Police won't say if Mantee's body was discovered or how he was killed, and weren't able toconfirm if he and Laroche were in a relationship.

They say no further information will be released with the case now before the courts.

According to a release from Nanaimo RCMP, thetwo-year-longinvestigation required significant resources tosearch and gather evidence.