Winnipeg, Manitoba – Raymond Cormier, the man suspected of killing Tina Fontaine, has passed away, leaving many unanswered questions according to Fontaine’s aunt, Thelma Favel. Fontaine, a 15-year-old girl whose body was found wrapped in a duvet in Winnipeg’s Red River in August 2014, was a symbol of Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls crisis.
Fontaine’s death sparked outrage and led to a public outcry for justice. Despite Cormier being acquitted of the murder in 2018, Favel believes that the police had the right suspect all along. She recalls Cormier’s demeanor in the courtroom, describing his unsettling smirk and laughter.
The news of Cormier’s death was confirmed by Winnipeg Police Service detectives to Favel over the weekend. However, details surrounding his passing remain undisclosed. Favel expressed conflicting emotions about his death, stating that while she is relieved he can no longer harm others, she will never understand why he would commit such a heinous act against a young girl.
Fontaine’s tragic story highlighted the systemic issues facing Indigenous women and girls in Canada, leading to initiatives such as Drag the Red and the Bear Clan Patrol. Favel visited Fontaine’s grave on the Sagkeeng First Nation to inform her niece of Cormier’s death, lamenting the fact that they will never truly know the reasons behind her untimely demise.
The case of Tina Fontaine continues to serve as a grim reminder of the ongoing violence and discrimination faced by Indigenous women in Canada. Favel remains steadfast in seeking justice for her niece and ensuring that Fontaine’s memory is not forgotten in the fight for Indigenous rights and protection.