'I felt like I was ambushed,' Linda Beardy's sister says of police visit to share details of case
Family calls for independent investigation, plans to file complaint
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
The last time Lucy Beardy saw her sister Linda alive, she "looked good," asked about her children, and said she loved them.
Just over one week later, Beardy is mourning Linda's death after her body was discovered in a Winnipeg landfill.
She's also upset at how Winnipeg Police have treated this case so she's calling for an independent investigation "that would be more thorough and also that we can trust."
She plans to file a complaint with Manitoba's Law Enforcement Review Agency.
"I feel like they took advantage of my grief, how overwhelmed I was, my vulnerability. I feel like they betrayed the trust of the family," she said in an interview Thursday evening with CBC News.
"I felt like I was ambushed, like I was set up for this. They didn't take into account any of what I had to say, my wishes."
Beardy was talking about a news conference held Thursday afternoon by Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth, who revealed new details about Linda's last hours alive.
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He said the 33-year-old mother had been identified leaving a retail store in south Winnipeg alone just after 11 a.m. on Monday.
Video surveillance showed her walking to a nearby garbage bin, and she "was observed to climb into the bin on her own," Smyth said.
"There was some activity observed within the bin and after a short period of time, there was no further activity observed, but she was not observed climbing out of the bin at any time."
Several hours later, a commercial dump truck picked up the garbage bin and emptied it at the landfill, where city workers discovered Linda's body.
Smyth said there were no other injuries to suggest any foul play and "right now, there is no evidence to support homicide."
Smyth also said officers had shared details of the case with the family and they authorized the release of this information — but that was news to Beardy, who said she had actually told police she had to consult with other family members before any details were shared publicly.
"I was like, I can't even make any decisions because I need to process this," she said.
Two officers, along with a family support and resource advocate from the police service, came to her house an hour before the news conference was scheduled to start. Beardy said the officers repeatedly asked if she wanted to see the video and photos of her sister but she wasn't ready yet.
Beardy said she found out about the news conference during that conversation and asked them what information they planned to release.
"They were going to just state that there is not a homicide, to ease the public, and no details further than that would be provided — and it's an ongoing investigation," she said.
"I believe it was like a breach of trust and confidence, you know, like they manipulated the whole situation."
While Smyth said they are asking the public for more tips, Beardy believes they've already decided what happened. But she still has more questions than answers.
"There is more — there has to be," she said.
The police service has not responded to a request for comment from CBC News.
'It's more than a shock'
Beardy said their family has experienced a lot of tragedy. Their mother died when Linda was just 13 and they buried their father last year.
Linda grew up in the church and loved her four children.
"She was a great mom. She always stepped up to help others when she could. She was all our nieces' and nephews' favourite auntie," Beardy said. "She was smart and strong, always willing to drop everything to help people."
Beardy says she still can't believe Linda is dead — and the details of her death and discovery have left her shaken.
"It's more than a shock."
Linda had been going to church more regularly recently. Beardy saw her sister in a Winnipeg mall just last week and she "looked good."
"She didn't have a phone so she asked if I could message her son, my nephew, to see how school is going and tell him she loves him and that she's been really thinking of her babies and trying to get on a better path," Beardy said.
"My last words were, 'I love you.'"
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