On January 16 morning, a tragic incident unfolded at John Costello Catholic School in Calgary. A woman, currently unidentified to protect her family’s privacy, was found dead with apparent stab wounds. Nearby, her estranged husband, who had been facing criminal charges for domestic violence and violating a no-contact order twice, was also discovered deceased.
The couple, undergoing divorce proceedings and parents to three young daughters, had a history of domestic violence. The husband faced initial charges in July 2023 and was released on bail with a strict condition not to contact his estranged wife or daughters without a court order.
Warrants for the man’s arrest were issued on the same day as the killing, related to charges of unlawfully harassing and stalking, likely tied to a previous incident.
Despite the ongoing court process, the tragic event unfolded, leading to the death of the woman. Duty Insp. Scott Neilson stated that, although there were no indications of children witnessing the event, there were adult witnesses. The victim had previously sought help from the police, receiving court support, safety measures, and planning. The husband was scheduled to appear in court on February 6.
We want to raise awareness about relevant domestic violence incidents that our community needs to know, so we can all prevent incidents such as these from happening.
According to the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) a shelter is the safest place for a woman who has been subject to domestic violence. If you are a victim of domestic violence, call our helpline at 780-594-3353 and get the help you need and donate today to help us support more women in our shelters.
If you want to read the full story, here are two links to the story on different news outlets. Click here for the CBC News article or here for Calgary City News.
(image from Calgary City News)