VANCOUVER, BC – A vigil held in Vancouver last month paid tribute to the memory of 14 homicide victims, with a focus on two women from the Peace Region and two from Prince George.
Organized by Vancouver Rape Relief, participants at the vigil displayed signs bearing the women’s names, ages, and the dates of their murders. One sign commemorated Kiara Agnew of Dawson Creek, who was tragically killed on March 3, 2023, while on vacation in Mexico. Her boyfriend, Ryan Friesen, was taken into police custody in Cancun after her death. Agnew’s body has since been returned to Canada, with family and friends raising the funds to bring her home.
Another sign at the vigil represented the memory of a 57-year-old woman killed in Chetwynd on Feb. 27, 2023. Meanwhile, a sign held the name of Isabelle Thomas, 22, who was found dead in her home in the Alpine Village townhouse complex in Prince George. This was followed by police charging 23-year-old Zain Wood with first degree murder in August. Another sign was held up for an unnamed woman killed on July 17, 2023.
Vancouver Rape Relief took to social media to express their desire for the police or BC Coroners Service to publish the names of the victims in order to honor and mourn them better. In addition, they called for the criminal justice system to create better methods to supervise and monitor men known to be violent.
The vigil in Vancouver last month honored 14 homicide victims, including two women from the Peace Region and two from Prince George. The participants displayed signs with the victims’ names, ages, and dates of their murders. The organizers also called for better methods to supervise and monitor violent individuals.