Family holds Winnipeg vigil for woman found dead on First Nation

The family of a woman found dead on a remote, northern Manitoba First Nation this week gathered for a vigil at the steps of the Manitoba Legislature Thursday night.

Krystal Andrews, 22, was found dead in an isolated area on God's Lake First Nation on Monday. RCMP are calling her death suspicious.

• 'I can't believe she's gone,' says mom of Krystal Andrews, found dead in God's Lake​

Carol Nazzie, 25, said she is still having a hard time processing what happened to her childhood friend.

"Just devastated, it's just heartbreaking," she said. "I just can't believe this is happening."

A family member told CBC News on Tuesday that Andrews had phoned her fiancé Terry White early Sunday morning to tell him she was on her way home from her friend's house in God's Lake. She never made it back.

"She was a loving and caring woman, she makes people laugh and she was a very smart girl," White said at the vigil for Andrews, adding she was an honour student in school.

"My babies just came to my mind when I heard they found her. I just wanted to go get her and give her a kiss."

Andrews and White, both in their early 20s, were high school sweethearts and had been together for nine years.

White said while the past few days have been hard, he was grateful to receive support from the dozens of people at the vigil.

"It means a lot to me, makes me feel a lot better," he said, adding his fiancée was "a great mother" to their two children.

Andrews and White were supposed to get married in 2016.

RCMP continue to investigate Andrews' death on God's Lake. An autopsy is being performed on her body in Winnipeg. No arrests have been made.

God's Lake First Nation is about 550 kilometres north of Winnipeg.