Erin Christie
Morning Star Staff
People have told Stephanie Killman that the pain of losing a loved one can fade with time, but she and her sisters, Harmony and Alicia have felt it everyday since their mother香蕉视频直播檚 murder last November.
香蕉视频直播淚 was the one who found her 香蕉视频直播攊t was the worst day of my life.香蕉视频直播�
Her mother, , 46 was found dead in her home on Nov. 18, 2016. The body of her partner, Don Wayne Ball, 68, was also found in the house. According to an RCMP report a single firearm was used and the incident was confirmed by RCMP as a 香蕉视频直播渕urder-suicide,香蕉视频直播� and there was no evidence to indicate third-party involvement.
香蕉视频直播淚 knew the minute I got there that something wasn香蕉视频直播檛 right. I walked into the house and I was calling and calling and no one was answering,香蕉视频直播� Killman recalled.
As the only family member with an extra set of keys to her mother香蕉视频直播檚 Spruce Crescent home in Enderby, Killman, 27, said she went to the house that day because her stepfather香蕉视频直播檚 kids asked her to 香蕉视频直播渃heck on things香蕉视频直播� after learning he hadn香蕉视频直播檛 shown up for work that morning.
香蕉视频直播淗e murdered her, and then he killed himself,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淲e never saw them fighting or had any inkling that something might be wrong. But you never know what goes on behind closed doors.香蕉视频直播�
Alicia Killman, 29, echoed her younger sister, adding that as far as she knew, life at home had been 香蕉视频直播渘ormal香蕉视频直播� for her mother, and she was happy.
香蕉视频直播淢y mom was known around Enderby 香蕉视频直播� everyone loved her,香蕉视频直播� Alicia said, 香蕉视频直播淪he was caring and thoughtful. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and people loved that about her. I loved that about her. I think her [funeral] was one of the biggest celebrations of life I had ever seen around here.香蕉视频直播�
Over the past year, Killman says she and her family have struggled to cope with the loss of their mother as they learn more about the events that led to her death.
香蕉视频直播淚 was the one who found her 香蕉视频直播攊t was the worst day of my life.香蕉视频直播�
- Stephanie Killman
香蕉视频直播淲e heard later that she went to our band for help, to try and get out香蕉视频直播�.It香蕉视频直播檚 hard enough to put yourself in the vulnerable position of asking for help in a situation like that香蕉视频直播 can香蕉视频直播檛 imagine how she must have felt.香蕉视频直播�
Killman says she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 feel comfortable describing the 香蕉视频直播渉orrific香蕉视频直播� scene that greeted her when she entered her mother香蕉视频直播檚 home that day, but feels it香蕉视频直播檚 important to share what she can in the hope that others will 香蕉视频直播渓earn something,香蕉视频直播� from her mother香蕉视频直播檚 story, and take action.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 still not really comfortable talking to people outside our circle of family and friends about what happened, but I香蕉视频直播檓 trying because it香蕉视频直播檚 important to get the message out into the world, not just our small community, that this stuff happens. That it香蕉视频直播檚 real, and it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 just happen where people think. It happens close to home.香蕉视频直播�
For the Killmans, part of getting their message out means participating in events like for Awareness, an annual event held to raise awareness for the untold numbers of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada. During these events, members of the public are asked to wear a red dress or to display a red dress in a public place as a symbol of hope and an acknowledgement that missing and murdered women have not been forgotten.
In Enderby, the event took place Wednesday along the shore of the Shuswap River near the Enderby Bridge, and was attended by approximately 50 people. Deanna Cook, who has organized Enderby香蕉视频直播檚 Red Dress Walk for the past two years, says in a small, close-knit community like hers, this particular subject hits close to home.
香蕉视频直播淚n the last two years we have had five women taken from our community. Two were murdered and three are still missing in our community,香蕉视频直播� Cook said Wednesday morning, referring to Caitlin Potts, Ashley Simpson and Deanna Wertz.
香蕉视频直播淲e have these events to remember those who are missing, and to remind people to keep looking for these women 香蕉视频直播� people need to know that they will not be forgotten,香蕉视频直播� she said.
, 27, was last seen in February, 2016. The Cree mother from Alberta was reportedly in B.C., sorting out a troubled relationship with her ex-boyfriend when she went missing. B.C. RCMP released footage of the young woman entering Orchard Park Mall in Kelowna, from a surveillance video taken on Feb. 21, 2016. It香蕉视频直播檚 the last time she was seen. 27, was last seen on April 27 of last year. , 46,was last seen in the early morning of July 19, 2016 at her residence on Yankee Flats Road.
According to data published by the Indigenous women made up three per cent of the country香蕉视频直播檚 female population in 2008, but suffered roughly 10 per cent of all female homicides that year. More than half of the cases occurred in the western provinces, with British Columbia and Alberta home to the highest numbers.
This year, Cook added, Red Dress walks took on additional meaning against the backdrop of the hearings that took place at the held this summer.
While the Red Dress Project, on which the walk is based, was initially created seven years ago by Jaime Black, a Metis artist from Winnipeg, to draw attention to missing and murdered Indigenous women specifically, Cook says she has broadened the scope of Enderby香蕉视频直播檚 walk to include 香蕉视频直播渁ll women.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll women deserve to be safe in our communities,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e need to get the message that girls, all girls, need to stay safe. You can香蕉视频直播檛 just walk down the road at night anymore. And we香蕉视频直播檙e here trying to get the message out there that we should be able walk alone and not be afraid香蕉视频直播攖hat the way things are right now, is not OK.香蕉视频直播�
To see more photos of the Red Dress Walk for Awareness, and learn more about the event, click below.
