Family, friends remember Winnipeg man, 19, found fatally injured at beer vendor job

A Winnipeg man who died after being found injured in the early morning hours at the beer vendor he worked at is being remembered by friends and family.

John Lloyd Maaba Barrion, 19, has been identified as the victim by the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) as well as friends and family.

Officers will only say at 3:10 a.m. on Feb. 15, police were called to a beer vendor which is attached to a hotel in the 1400 block of Notre Dame Avenue where they found John Lloyd injured. The WPS said he was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.

Detectives haven’t released any information on the cause or circumstance surrounding his death but they said it is being investigated as a homicide.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” said John Emmanuel Maaba Barrion, the victim’s older brother.

Emmanuel said he was at work when his dad called about his brother’s death. Hesaid he’s seen security footage from the beer vendor but has been asked by officers not to talk about it to protect the integrity of the investigation.

He said his brother had been working at the beer vendor for about four months. He had graduated from Tec Voc High School last year and wanted to become a carpenter.

Friends said John Lloyd was independent, hard-working and loved his family.

“We lost someone so important to us,” said Joshua Lim, who said he’s known John Lloyd since they attended grade 2 together at Cecil Rhodes School. “A 19-year-old – a kid still. He’s considered an adult, but he was a kid – so much to learn, so much potential, so much to give to everybody.”

Kiko Mapuyan, another one of John Lloyd’s friends, said he was shocked to find out what happened.

“I just burst into tears,” said Mapuyan. “I couldn’t really fully process it. It was hard to take in.”

A vigil for John Lloyd is being held Saturday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. outside the vendor at 1400 Notre Dame Ave. Organizers said the public is welcome to take part but attendees are required to wear masks.

Mapuyan and Lim have also started a hashtag on the social media platform Instagram #just4johnlloyd and will be taking part in Saturday’s vigil which is being organized by the volunteer community and patrol group 204 Neighbourhood Watch.

Ponz Mapuyan, Kiko’s dad and a spokesperson for the group, is helping organize it. He said the focus right now is on helping John Lloyd’s family who are members of Winnipeg’s tight-knit Filipino community. But he said the incident is also raising safety concerns, especially when it comes to people who work late at night and into the early morning hours.

“From my personal standpoint questions I would always ask: what measures are taken for people working to protect them,” Ponz said. 

Friends and family said John Lloyd finished the end of his shifts in the early morning hours working alone in the vendor portion of the business with other staff on shift in the hotel.

A staff member who answered the phone at the hotel Thursday morning declined comment and said no one else was available to talk.

Scott Jocelyn, president of the Manitoba Hotel Association, said vendors and hotels have safety measures and protocols in place that are meant to protect staff.

“I can’t stress the importance of making sure our people are safe,” Jocelyn said. “We’re open some late hours and there’s some people out there that have intentions that are not good to hear.”

Police have not released on any suspects or arrests in the homicide. The WPS said the Major Crimes Unit is investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 204-986-6219 or 204-786-8477.

A vigil for John Lloyd is being held Saturday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. outside the vendor at 1400 Notre Dame Ave. Organizers said the public is welcome to take part but attendees are required to wear masks.