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'I can't believe she's really gone': Family and friends mourn death of Marrisa Shen

Crowds gathered at Central Park Burnaby, B.C., Saturday evening to mourn 13-year-old Marrisa Shen, who was found dead there earlier this week.

People express concern about park safety following discovery of 13-year-old's body

CBC News ·
Marrisa Shen
Marissa Shen's body was found on Tuesday in a Burnaby, B.C. park. Police are investigating her death as a homicide. A vigil was held in the same park on Saturday. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

A crowd gathered at Central Park in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday night to mourn the death of a 13-year-old whose body was found there earlier this week.

Friends and family laid flowers and candles at a memorial not far from where Marrisa Shen was found dead on Tuesday. Her death has been ruled a homicide, but police have not yet released the exact cause of death.

Sey Liao, one of Shen's classmates, said she still can't believe she won't be seeing her at school in the fall.

Liao said she and Shen often walked home from class together and shared a love of hip hop.

"We met at an ESL class … she was really kind," Liao said.

"I feel like she can come out and talk with me. I can't believe she's really gone."

A crowd gathered around the memorial at Burnaby's Central Park on Saturday, five days after Marrisa Shen's body was found. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

Safety concerns

Shen was reported missing on Tuesday afternoon, a few hours before she was found. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) doesn't have any suspects in her death and said it's unclear if it was a random or targeted killing.

Valentine Wu, who helped organize the vigil, said the teen's death has taken on toll on the community.

Family and friends left candles and flowers and many left cards. Shen's death has people concerned about safety in the community, especially in the park itself. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

"We use the park a lot so it's a shock to us," he said. "I think what happened sent a message to other parents that it's time to talk about [safety]."

Another one of Shen's classmates said the neighbourhood doesn't seem the same.

"I was raised always coming here during summers," said Angelina Ravelli.

"For this to happen here, we don't know if it'll go back to the way it was before."

Police release surveillance video

IHIT has released surveillance video of Shen walking into an apartment building on the afternoon of her death, hoping to spur tips from the public. She was wearing a dark T-shirt, shorts and runners and was believed to be wearing the same clothes when she was last seen at 6 p.m. PT. 

Shen was seen in surveillance video wearing a dark T-shirt, shorts and runners as she went into a building a few blocks away from the park Tuesday afternoon. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

Investigators are urging anyone who may have seen Shen on Tuesday night to contact police.

With files from Jon Hernandez

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