A Winnipeg youth is behind bars, charged with second-degree murder in the death of Kathleen Leary.

She had recently retired after spending most of her life working to help others.

Leary served as the director of health in Norway House Cree Nation and for a time she was also employed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in the area of education.

Former AMC coworker Ardell Cochrane said Leary was passionate about her work and called her death a tragedy.

"It's very much a loss,” said Cochrane.

“She was a great leader. She was a great mentor. We're going to miss that, what she had provided to us."

The mother of four was killed on Tuesday evening.

Emergency crews found Leary inside her Charleswood home with serious upper body injuries and she later died.

"I'll always remember her friendliness, her caring for other people and her passion to do her job for our people," said Melanie Everette, another former AMC coworker.

A youth known to the victim has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

The identity of the accused is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and for that reason police released very few details about the circumstances surrounding Leary’s death.

“We are bound by considerable constraints,” said Const. Eric Hofley of the Winnipeg Police Service. “I am just not able to expand upon the details."

"It is a difficult situation we are dealing with here as is the family of Ms. Leary,” said Const. Hofley.

Some of Leary’s neighbours said they were shocked and saddened by her death but that there's some relief in the community now that an arrest has been made because police said this wasn't a random attack.

"I felt kind of safe afterwards because I didn't feel like anything was going to happen after that," said Johanna Bell, who was housesitting in Charleswood the night of the homicide.

Police said initial reports there was a home invasion are unfounded, adding residents in the neighbourhood have nothing to fear.

But former coworkers said they’re still shocked by Leary’s death.

"It's a traumatic and very sudden and tragic loss for so many people," said AMC Grand Chief Derek Nepinak.

Nepinak said she will leave a lasting legacy in the community.

"She did have four daughters and those four daughters are going to continue to contribute to the aboriginal community.”