Ottawa Police respond to two homicides over the weekend

It’s been a busy week for law enforcement who have responded to five homicides in Ottawa since March 30. 

In Nepean: The latest incident occurred on the 300 Block of Craig Henry Drive where police responded to shots fired shortly after 9:30 a.m. Two victims were located and taken to hospital: A 20-year-old man succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced deceased, and a 21-year-old man had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Nearby residents the Lookout spoke to said they heard the sounds of loud pops. Evidence markers were located outside the two-storey townhome and around the back of the parking lot. Investigators were on the scene speaking with neighbours and collecting evidence. 

• At the time of publication no suspect had been taken into custody. 

In a social media post, Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine said he would be speaking with police, and asked them to meet with the landlord Minto to discuss improvements “to increase safety and deter further criminal activity.”

And in Barrhaven: The night before, 61-year-old Brenda Rus was killed inside her Barrhaven home in what has been labelled a "femicide.” In a statement, police said the term is used when there is ”intentional killing of women and girls, 2 Spirit, trans women and gender non-conforming individuals because of their gender, overwhelmingly committed by men.”

The suspect has been identified as 61-year-old Robert Rus, who neighbours say was the victim's husband. Nearby residents told the Lookout they heard of domestic abuse occurring in the home.   

Dixie Mosseau, who lives nearby, told CTV the victim was a “wonderful lady.”

• “If she liked you, you were one of her tops. She’d call me, text me, talk to me anytime she was out for a walk, I loved her,” said Mosseau. 

A rise in crime: This is the third homicide to rock the suburb of Barrhaven this year. Police say none of the incidents are believed to be related.

GoFundMe started for Barrhaven victim 

Hours after Rus’s Barrhaven murder, a GoFundMe page was started by her sister Kathleen Farmer to raise money for funeral expenses. 

• “Brenda was a loving mother to her two boys and a devoted companion to her little dog, Bear, who rarely left her side. She had a warm, generous soul and a deep passion for cooking—always trying new recipes and bringing joy to others through her food. She was the kind of person who made everyone feel welcome and loved,” the GoFundMe read. 

At the time of publication, $1,660 of the $14,000 goal had been raised. Anyone who would like to donate can do so here. 

Ottawa homicides not on the rise, say experts 

Residents across the city are unsurprisingly on edge after a week of violence in all corners of Ottawa, but Ottawa Police say there is no reason to fear public safety. The cases were also all unrelated. 

• “We share the community’s concerns about the level of violence in our city,” Ottawa police said in a statement Friday, according to CTV. “Our officers continue to work around the clock to ensure public safety, prevent further violence, and support those affected. We know that enforcement alone is not enough, which is why we are committed to working with community partners to address the root causes of violence and build long-term solutions.”

Last year was a record one for homicides in Ottawa. A total of 25 people were killed in 20 different incidents. 

A week of killings: Other incidents in the last week included 63-year-old Paul Scott Landymore, who was killed at his Primrose Avenue home near Chinatown on March 30. By that time last year, only two homicides in the city had occurred — though one was the mass killing in Barrhaven which resulted in six lives lost. 

Then on Tuesday, Renée Descary, 51, was killed in Lowertown. Her death was also considered a femicide. Police charged 24-year-old Oliver Denia with second-degree murder. Acting chief Steve Bell said they had no information to suggest the victim and accuser knew each other, reported CBC.

On Friday morning, 42-year-old Trevor Needham was killed with an edged weapon in the home he’d been staying at for a few days. Police later charged 38-year-old Jeremy Joseph Young with second-degree murder and attempted murder. 

• To date, 10 homicides have occurred in Ottawa this year. 

Anyone with information on any of the homicides are asked to call the Homicide Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5493, or leave a tip anonymously at crimestoppers.ca.