'They took away a father': Partner of Winnipeg homicide victim seeking answers
Rachel Bergen | CBC News | Posted: December 20, 2021 11:00 AM | Last Updated: December 21, 2021
Anthony Sinclair shot and killed on Dec. 9 on the way to pick up pop at a local convenience store
The partner of a man who was shot and killed in Winnipeg earlier this month is pleading for people to come forward to help move the investigation forward.
The last night Jayme-Lea Nelson spent with her long-time partner Anthony James Sinclair, they had dinner together. After that, he asked around to see if anyone needed anything from the convenience store around the corner in the area of Stella Avenue and McGregor Street, where he was going to get pop.
"He always checked in with everybody else like, do you need anything? Do you want anything?"
On his way there, at about 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 9, the 35-year-old Ojibway father originally from Berens River First Nation was shot. He later died in hospital.
Nelson spent hours of calling family, friends and hospitals, but didn't find out about his death until the next morning, when detectives came over to deliver the tragic news.
Police have not provided any updates on the case since Sinclair was identified as the homicide victim. Meanwhile, Nelson is desperate for answers.
"Who's ever responsible for this, I want to see them in jail. I want an arrest made," Nelson said.
"That person has no idea what they took away. They took away a father. They've left his kids with pain, like, for the rest of their life, they have to live without their dad,"
She has no idea who could have killed her partner, but doesn't believe he was targeted.
"Tony didn't have enemies like that. Tony knew a lot of people and a lot of people respected him," she said.
She will remember Sinclair as a hands-on father who was goofy and liked to cook for his children.
"Our son, Dylan, had some problems with stuttering and Tony had the patience to sit down with him and be like working on the stutter, and we had actually gotten to the point where there was no more stutter," Nelson said.
Nelson says her grief is unimaginable, but she's pushing through for her sons.
"He had told me that should anything ever happen where he's not able to be with us anymore, to try to remain strong for our sons and just take care of them for him," she said.
"That's the only strength that I have that's carrying me when a part of me just wants to give up."
Winnipeg police are encouraging anyone with home surveillance in the area of Stella Avenue and MacGregor Street to contact the homicide unit at 204-986-6508.
"Even something as small as a doorbell camera can be incredibly beneficial for an investigation," said a police spokesperson.
Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call police at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477), and they may be eligible for a cash reward.