Brittany Hobson
APTN National News
A family and community vigil will be held for Christine Wood, the 21-year-old Manitoba woman who police say was killed in a Winnipeg North End home.
The vigil is taking place Wednesday evening.
“After the most difficult eight months of our lives, we’re now mourning the loss of our beautiful daughter,” the family said in a statement ready by Sheila North Wilson, grand chief of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO). “We are heartbroken and overwhelmed. We never imagined life without our Christine.”
The vigil will start with a short ceremony at St Mary’s Parish beginning at 4 p.m., followed by a walk to the Thunderbird House where it will continue until 7 p.m.
The vigil is being hosted by the MKO, the Bear Clan and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
“Everyone is invited to attend any part of the vigil and show their support for the Wood family,” said the Canadian Centre for Child Protection in a media advisory released Tuesday.
The memorial vigil follows the arrest of a 30-year-old in connection with Wood’s murder.
Brett Ronald Overby was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on April 7, 2017.
According to police, investigators searched Overby’s home in March and charged him with an unrelated offence. While at the home, the forensic team remained at the house for several days and found DNA
that was later confirmed to be Wood’s.
Her body has still not been found.
Wood went missing Aug. 19, 2016, after leaving a Winnipeg hotel.
She was visiting the city with her parents when she disappeared. Wood was reported missing two days later. She is originally from Oxford House First Nation, a community of roughly 2,000 in
northern Manitoba.
Since her disappearance, the Wood family has spent the better part of nine months searching Winnipeg streets, with the help of the Bear Clan.
On Monday, Winnipeg Police Service held a press conference to address Wood’s case.
“In January, with very little new information to go on missing persons collaborated with investigators from homicide, and it was determined at that time they would take the investigation in a different tact,” said
Chief of Police Danny Smyth. “The homicide unit took over as lead investigator.”
The MKO set up a GoFundMe page Monday to help with travel costs for the family to attend the Winnipeg vigil.
Over the weekend, the community held its own memorial for Wood and another man who died last week.
Wood’s parents have yet to address media. They are expected to make a statement during Wednesday’s vigil.
My prayers for.the family regarding this senseless tragic loss of a beautiful young woman. May she rest in peace..