Body of Lake St. Martin First Nation mother, 33, found at Winnipeg landfill

WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

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 herdeath suspicious.

Staff at Winnipeg's Brady Road Resource Management Facility discovered the remains of Linda Mary Beardyon 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'smajor crimes division, said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

"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.

Her death is considered suspicious but isn't yet classified as a homicide, Pike said.

Beardy, who wasfromLake St. Martin First Nation in Manitoba,was living in Winnipeg before her death, hesaid.

Investigators believe Beardy's remains were left at thelandfill by a garbage truck andfound within a couple of hours of being deposited, he said.

The entire Brady Road landfill operation has been paused whileinvestigators work there, he said.

Winnipeg Mayor ScottGillinghamcredited Brady landfill staff for their vigilance.

"We as a society can never grow numb to this,"hesaid 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 hewas 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. Thatfriend and Beardy had children together, the chief said.

"It's very sad and it breaks my heart to hear that we lost another First Nationwoman 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 at445 King St. in Winnipeg.

He believes a broader search of the landfill should be conducted.

The news comes months after the Brady Road landfill was closed for several weeksamid protests and calls for a site-wide search for the remains of missing people.

The remains of Rebecca Contois one of four women police believe were killed by Jeremy Skibicki were found at the Brady Road landfill last June.

Skibickiis charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Late last year, Skibicki's lawyer said he plans to plead not guilty on all counts.

Investigators believeSkibickialso killed Morgan Harris andMarcedes Myran, and that their remains were taken to Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg. In February, the federal government committed $500,000 for a feasibility study of a search of that landfill.

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.

WATCH| Landfill searches needed, says daughter of homicide victim:

'I'm heartbroken for my community'

1 year ago

Duration 0:36

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."

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 the33-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.

WATCH | Body found in Winnipeg's Brady Road landfill:

Winnipeg police release details about body found at Brady Road landfill

1 year ago

Duration 14:16

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.