'Everybody's really shocked': 20-year-old homicide victim remembered as beautiful soul with bright future

Coworkers of a 20-year-old woman found dead on a remote ATV trail near Woodridge, Man. are remembering her as a special, beautiful soul who was working towards a bright future.

Family and friends say Mackaylah Gerard-Roussin, who was missing since last week, was the victim of the weekend killing.

Steinbach RCMP say they got a call Saturday at around 1:40 p.m. indicating there had been a homicide. Mounties say they responded to a home on Creekside Drive to investigate. However, the suspect had already driven away in his vehicle.

Officers believed the deceased victim was in the vehicle, as well.

RCMP says police from multiple detachments began an intensive search for the suspect, with Mounties eventually finding the vehicle near La Broquerie. They conducted a traffic stop on Highway 52 west of town.

Officers say during the arrest, the suspect was safely taken into custody, but his vehicle went up in flames. It was extinguished by the local fire department and searched, but the victim’s body was not found.

Police said they received further information that led officers to a remote ATV trail in a rural area south of the community of Woodridge, where the body of a 20-year-old woman was found.

Friends and family confirmed to CTV News that Gerard-Roussin was the victim of a weekend homicide. Police say the body of the 20-year-old victim was found on a remote ATV trail in a rural area south of the community of Woodridge. (Source: Rossbrook House/Facebook)

RCMP says Josh Benoit, 20, from Winnipeg was charged Sunday with first-degree murder.

He was remanded into custody, and was scheduled to appear in provincial court in Winnipeg on Aug. 29.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

COWORKERS, FRIENDS REELING IN WAKE OF HOMICIDE

Sherry Rasmussen with Rossbrook House, a neighbourhood drop-in centre that Gerard-Roussin once attended and then worked at at the time of her death, said staff learned of her passing Sunday.

“Everybody's really shocked,” Rasmussen told CTV News Winnipeg.

“We have a lot of staff who have been there a long time, so they watched her grow up because Mackaylah was a participant from a very young age, and so they're reeling.”

Staff at Rossbrook House say Gerard-Roussin attended the neighbourhood drop-in centre from a very young age, and was working as a staff member at the time of her death. (Source: Rossbrook House/Facebook)

Rasmussen said the organization’s executive director spent some time with her family Monday afternoon around a sacred fire.

Additionally, she said Rossbrook House plans to hold a ceremony with an elder or knowledge keeper to honour her life.

In the meantime, they are offering support to family, staff and community members who knew and loved Gerard-Roussin.

“It's really hitting hard because she was young,” Rasmussen said. “For me, I just picture her so lively, and that's why it's so hard to imagine that she's really gone, and I know that's what others are struggling with is the reality.”

- With files from CTV’s Jeff Keele and Danton Unger