Accused killer Duran Redwood had history of assaulting Celeste Yawney

The man accused of killing Celeste Yawney, 33, is an ex-boyfriend who was previously convicted of assaulting her, according to information from a close friend and court officials.

Information from officials shows Duran Redwood, 26, pleaded guilty in January to assault causing bodily harm in relation to an attack on Yawney in July 2014. When he pleaded guilty, he'd been in custody for five months and was released on a conditional sentence.

According to police, an investigation into Yawney's death began Sunday morning when officers were called to a home on Ingersoll Crescent in Regina's Rosemont neighbourhood. Police found the body of a woman inside, and on Monday morning announced that second degree murder charges were laid against Redwood in relation to Yawney's death.

• Duran Redwood, 26, charged with 2nd degree murder of Celeste Yawney

Yawney is Regina's fourth homicide of 2015.

A close friend of Yawney, Cyndy Parisian, told CBC News Monday that the mother of two started dating Redwood last year and that he become increasingly violent during the relationship.

"First, it was yelling and swearing, then it was a push and then it was a slap. Then it was an all out bad, bad beating," Parisian said.

According to court officials, Redwood faced several charges of assault against Yawney in relation to alleged attacks in May and July 2014. He was held in custody from August last year to January 2015, when he pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of assault with a weapon. Several other charges of assaulting Yawney were stayed.

Parisian said Yawney briefly reunited with Redwood after his release from jail.  

"He said he was sorry and that it would never happen again. But, of course, it did," Parisian said.

She added that her friend tried to distance herself from the man, but that Redwood wouldn't stay away.

There is no court record indicating a restraining order was in place. The complete details of Redwood's conditional sentence, however, were not immediately available.

Yawney 'always smiling,' friend recalls

Parisian said Yawney was the type of person who was always concerned about her friends and would counsel other women.

"She was a beautiful person," Parisian said. "She was always smiling. It was infectious."

Parisian said Yawney was known for posting uplifting messages and quotations on her Facebook page. She also embraced every season, whether it was skiing or tobogganing in the winter or going to the lake and camping in the summer.

"The snow would just be off the ground, and the next day she would come knocking on my door and she'd have capris on — it would be too cold to wear capris and little flip-flops — but that's just how she was," Parisian said.