Woman dead, husband charged in femicide at west Ottawa home

An Ottawa man is accused of second-degree murder after his wife was found dead at their home in the city's rural west end Sunday evening.

Ottawa police were called to the home on Lady Slipper Way, west of Stittsville, around 6:40 p.m. where they said they found Jennifer Zabarylo, 47, suffering from traumatic injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene, paramedics told CBC.

Property records confirm the couple co-owned the home.

Police consider Zabarylo's death a femicide related to an act of intimate partner violence, saying this is the first such incident of 2024 and the first time Ottawa police has used the term "femicide" in a news release. 

Neighbour shocked

"They were very nice, very friendly people," said Mary Lovas, who lives on the same street. "Every time you'd walk by we'd chat, say hi."

While Lovas didn't know the woman very well, she said the family has two dogs including a puppy, and the husband would come over to her home to let the puppy play with her dog.

Lovas called the homicide shocking.

The Department of National Defence confirmed that Zabarylo was a civilian employee with the Royal Canadian Navy Headquarters. On Monday, a spokesperson said the department was "shocked and deeply saddened to learn of her tragic death."

The Ottawa police homicide unit is investigating.

Michael Zabarylo, 55, is expected to appear in court Monday afternoon.