Manitoba First Nation reels from body discovery

The chief of a Manitoba First Nation says his community may never heal from a gruesome homicide that was discovered over the weekend.

The body of Roberta McIvor, 32, was found decapitated on the Sandy Bay First Nation, about 190 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, on Saturday.

Sandy Bay Chief Irvin McIvor, a cousin of the deceased woman's mother, said he is angry with what has happened.

"You took a life, especially of a mother, a young mother, a person with goals, a young person, and it's gruesome. And, you know, it really hits the community hard," McIvor told CBC News on Monday.

Family members say McIvor's body was discovered on one side of a road, while her head was found on the other side.

The RCMP's major crimes unit and forensic identification unit are investigating. Police have only publicly said that they consider the woman's death to be a homicide.

Roberta McIvor had enrolled in post-secondary courses for this fall, according to the chief. She leaves behind a 14-year-old daughter.

"She's going to be missed a lot from everybody," said Charlene McIvor, the woman's aunt.

"She wasn't just anybody. She was somebody's daughter, somebody's aunt, cousin, mom."

Charlene McIvor said she learned of her niece's death when a friend came to her house and pounded at her door.

"I opened the door and then she said, 'Have you heard? They found a body, somebody got killed,'" she said.

"Oh my God. I just started shaking and I said, 'It can't be.'"