Vigil honours Marilyn Munroe, woman found dead in Pritchard Avenue home

The family of Marilyn Rose Munroe, whose body was found inside a home in Winnipeg's North End earlier this week, was joined by community members in a vigil honouring the 41-year-old woman on Thursday evening.

Winnipeg police are investigating Munroe's death as a homicide, but they have not said how she died.

• Homicide unit investigates woman's death at Pritchard Avenue home
• Marilyn Rose Munroe ID'd as victim in Pritchard Avenue homicide

About 100 people gathered outside the Pritchard Avenue home, including her father and some of her cousins as well as members of the Bear Clan Patrol.

"It really amazes me how many people responded to my daughter's passing. I'm really proud that everybody came," said James Munroe, Marilyn's father.

Family members described her as a kind and gentle spirit who was taken away too soon. The elder Munroe said he was expecting Marilyn to call him last week, but that phone call never came.

"She was a funny, joking person with a heart of gold. She had a big heart. She would do anything for you," said Nora Jane Munroe, a first cousin.

"It's very shocking; I still can't believe it. It's heartbreaking — somebody to take one of our own," said Linda Munroe, another cousin.

Linda Munroe told CBC News earlier this week that she and Marilyn, a mother of four, had grown up in Ontario but moved to Manitoba as teenagers.

Thursday's vigil was organized by Cheryl James, who said two of her brothers went to school with Marilyn Munroe.

James said she was only nine years old when her mother was killed, so she knows the feeling of loss all too well. She said the vigil aims to let the Munroe family know they have support.

"It helps to show the family that they're not alone," James said.

"In our community, it's not just a nuclear family. It's all of us. We're all family, all brothers and sisters."

The Bear Clan Patrol, a safety group in the North End, escorted the vigil participants as they walked from Pritchard Avenue to the Aboriginal Funeral Chapel on Selkirk Avenue.

"To learn that their mother, their sister, their daughter is found in such a tragic way with no answers, our heart goes out to them," said Mitch Bourbonniere, a member of the patrol.

"It's heartbreaking. We share their pain, we love them, we surround them and we protect them."