Slain Iqaluit family had been shot: coroner

Four members of an Iqaluit family who were found dead earlier this month had been shot, Nunavut's chief coroner has confirmed.

The bodies of Sylvain Degrasse, 44, Sula Enuaraq, 29, and their daughters Alexandra, 7, and Aliyah Degrasse, 2, were found on June 7, in a widely suspected case of murder-suicide.

A rifle was found near Degrasse's body at the Iqaluit cemetery, while the bodies of Enuaraq and the two girls were found inside their home.

"All autopsy results show gunshot wounds to the head and face," chief coroner Padma Suramala told CBC News on Monday.

While the autopsy results have come in, Suramala said the bodies have not yet been released to family members. That could happen later this week, she said.

"We are waiting for identifying the bodies, and we have sent the DNA samples," she said.

"Once the DNA samples conform to the positive identities of the deceased, then we will release the bodies to the families."

Investigation continues

The deaths have shocked and disturbed many in the city of about 7,000, including some of the RCMP officers who have been investigating the case.

"We are human beings just like everybody else, and going to scenes like this is never easy," said Const. Stephan Kilabuk of the Iqaluit RCMP.

Kilabuk said police are still interviewing people and trying to piece together what happened.

"It's really unclear right now," he said.

"The review of the actual interviews will take some time, but there's always the probability that we may never get any answers here."

A funeral is planned in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, for Enuaraq and her two daughters, at a date to be determined after their bodies have been released, according to family members.