WINNIPEG -- A 23-year-old woman has been charged with second-degree murder and arson with disregard for human life in connection with the death of a man who was pulled from a burning home on Halloween night.
It happened in the 500 block of Pritchard Avenue.
The man, Douglas Wood, 41, died after being rushed to hospital in critical condition.
Police announced the death was a homicide publicly for the first time on Wednesday, pointing to the fire as the cause of death.
“There were certainly suspicious factors in this investigation that led us to believe it may be a homicide,” said Const. Jay Murray.
“But we weren’t comfortable calling this a homicide until this arrest was made.”
Murray said that Wood had been socializing with a woman and they had been drinking alcohol when a confrontation occurred. Police allege the suspect started the fire after the confrontation.
In early November, police put out a call for surveillance taken in the area.
“I believe video surveillance was beneficial,” said Murray, thanking those who assisted police with the investigation.
Police said the suspect arrested, Jenna Sereena Kakegamick, was taken into custody.
A NEW RECORD FOR HOMICIDES IN WINNIPEG
The death marks the 42nd killing in the city this year, breaking the previous record for homicides, 41, set in 2011.
Murray emphasized that the number of homicides in Winnipeg fluctuates greatly from year to year.
“That speaks to the volatility of homicides,” said Murray, explaining that factors such as how close an event occurs to a hospital, how quickly medical care arrives, and where a person is injured can all mean the difference between a homicide and a serious assault.
“An injury one centimetre over can be the difference…” he said.
MAP: Winnipeg Homicides in 2019
