‘She didn’t deserve this’: Homeless advocate speaks out about Moncton homicide

A Moncton homeless advocate is bringing more attention to a homicide investigation.

A homeless advocate in Moncton, N.B., is trying to bring more attention to a homicide investigation that little is known about.

Humanity Project founder Charlie Burrell posted a plea to the RCMP on Facebook Wednesday night asking for answers and more information.

“It’s deeply disturbing that there have been no meaningful updates from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police regarding the horrific murder of a woman in Moncton whose body was found stuffed in a garbage can and left on the side of the road,” said Burrell in his post that has been seen by over 300,000 people in less than 24 hours.

The body of a 39-year-old Moncton woman was discovered in a garbage bin at the bottom of High Street just after noon on Feb. 15.

The New Brunswick RCMP’s Major Crime Unit is handling the investigation and have been in contact with the victim’s family, but few other details are known.

“This has been such a big impact on our community,” said Burrell. “It’s so dehumanizing to take somebody and put them in a garbage can and leave them on the side of the street like a piece of garbage. She deserves justice and she deserves better than that.”

New Brunswick RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Hans Ouellette said in an email to CTV News there is no update as of Thursday afternoon.

“For now, there is no new public information to share,” said Ouellette.

Burrell fully understands it is a police investigation that takes time and not all information can be shared with the public, but says people living on the streets are scared.

“I think that if you look around Moncton with the drive-by shootings, murders and the assaults, there’s a lot of people feeling unsafe in their own community. For the people that are actually out on their streets and living out there, they feel unsafe,” said Burrell.

Burrell knows who the victim is, but wouldn’t identify her.

“She was a good person. She didn’t deserve this,” said Burrell. “I’m a father. I’m a human being and I care about my community and there are people out there who loved her and who cared about her and who have heard nothing.”

Burrell said someone in the woman’s family reached out to him and thanked him for the post.

“They haven’t heard anything and they are grieving and they have no answers,” said Burrell. “We’re no further ahead than we were two weeks ago.”

The RCMP also conducted operations on Norwood Avenue on Feb. 16 and on Vail Street on Feb. 19, both in connection with the homicide investigation.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the New Brunswick RCMP Major Crime Unit at 1-888-506-7267.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.