Wednesday morning, Winnipeg police announced first-degree murder charges have been laid in the death of a St. Vital woman.

Kaila Tran, 26, was stabbed outside her apartment early in the morning of June 20. She was rushed to hospital but died from injuries.

“She didn’t deserve it by any means. She was a great girl,” said Jamie Hall, who was friends with the victim. 

Police said an investigation revealed the victim's boyfriend Drake David Moslenko, 27, allegedly made arrangements to have her killed following a dispute.

Tran and Moslenko had been dating for four years and had recently broken up.

"As a result of the planned split, a dispute did erupt. As a result of that dispute, these arrangements were allegedly made,” said Const. Jason Michalyshen of Winnipeg police.

Officers said Moslenko spoke with Treyvonne Anthony Warner Willis, 20, who allegedly agreed to the killing.

Police said both men had ties to the drug trade. In 2010, Moslenko pleaded guilty to theft. He confessed to staging a robbery with two others at the Travel Lodge where he used to work. He received a community sentence of three months.

“You messed up big time. You have no prior record. You’re still a young person. You have everything going for you,” said the judge to Moslenko.

Willis was out on bail at the time Tran was killed. He had been arrested on February 14 for drug trafficking. Only days before the killings, he was charged with breaching court conditions.

Police said Willis was hired and paid cash for the St. Vital killing. The suspect approached Tran in a parking lot on June 20, pulled out a weapon and assaulted the victim, said officers. He then fled the area on foot, after the incident drew attention from people in the area.

Officers carried out a search of the area and later located what's believed to be the murder weapon in the Seine River.

Friends of the victim also said Tran’s boyfriend went to her vigil last week.

“(It’s) just incredibly and unfortunate and incredibly tragic for Kaila and her family,” said Michalyshen.

- with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley