Manitoba RCMP identify remains of First Nations woman missing for 3 years
Remains of Melinda Lynxleg, 41, found in San Clara, Man., near border with Saskatchewan
The remains of Melinda Lynxleg — who was missing for more than three years — have been found, and police say her death was a homicide.
Lynxleg, 41, had been last seen at the beginning of April 2020 at Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation, also known as Valley River First Nation, about 60 kilometres west of Dauphin, Man.
Lynxleg's remains were discovered at an abandoned property in San Clara, Man., about 45 kilometres northwest of Tootinaowaziibeeng near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border, RCMP said in an update on Friday.
"It's been really difficult on our family, not knowing where she's been for the last three years, knowing that she would've come home to our children," Melinda's aunt Betty Lynxleg said at an RCMP news conference on Friday.
"We knew that something devastating really happened."
Melinda is survived by her six children and her mother and father, Betty Lynxleg said. She also had seven siblings.
"It's not the outcome we were hoping for, but we are relieved we do have some level of closure," she said.
The discovery of Melinda's body has been especially difficult on the children, Betty said. Lynxleg was a single mother and her kids are now living with their grandparents.
"They've missed three years of cuddling, they've missed three years of school events with their mom. They've missed all those times of being together. Melinda loved her children very much," Betty said.
"Her older daughters knew by now their mom wasn't coming back."
WATCH | Betty Lynxleg remembers her niece:
Officers from the RCMP's search and rescue team, major crime services, forensic identification unit and the Roblin detachment, as well as a forensic anthropologist, were in San Clara to investigate, a news release said Tuesday.
Sgt. Laura LeDrew of Manitoba RCMP major crime services said investigators are committed to bringing Lynxleg's killer to justice.
"Finding Melinda is an important part of the investigation, and she can now go home. However, our work is not done," LeDrew said.
Betty said she's relying on the justice system to bring full closure to the family. She hopes anyone with any knowledge of her niece's death comes forward.
"Whoever is responsible for this … has robbed more than one life. They've affected our whole family. How they've slept at night, I don't know how they do these things," she said.
In January 2021, Lynxleg's family offered a $5,000 award for information that led to her being found.
The Southern Chiefs' Organization and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs both expressed condolences to Melinda's family in separate statements on Friday.
Both organizations called on all levels of government to implement the recommendations in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Anyone who has any information related to this investigation is asked to call the RCMP Major Crime Services Tip Line at 1-431-489-8110.