MURDERED
Donna Joe
DONNA JOE Body parts found on September 28, 1992 in the St.John River just south of Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Cause of death was homicide.
Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 18-35 years old. Could be older.
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'0"-5'7" (155-170 cm.); approximately 100 lbs. (45 kg.)
Distinguishing Characteristics: Could have been Caucasian or Native Canadian.
She may have also had an admixture of Caucasian and Native Canadian ethnicities. She had long brown hair that had been dyed red and her nose may have protruded. Her left arm was smaller and possibly shorter than her right arm and she also had bad oral hygiene.
Dentals: The skull was missing the lower jaw. She had extensive dental work done to her upper jaw, and she may have had an overbite.
Clothing: Black jeans and a long-sleeve white cotton shirt. The clothing was sold at a Bargain Harold's store -- the kind of store that sells cheap clothing.
This woman's bleached skull was found by a duck hunter on the shores of Gilbert's Island, an uninhabited low-lying island in the Saint John River, near Fredericton, N.B. Police believe the body was carried there a year or two before by the flood waters that immerse the islands each spring. After a search police found a pony tail of woman's hair, her clothes and half her bones at the base of one grove of trees.
Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (toll-free)
877-318-3576
or
506-452-3494
UPDATE
Feb. 26, 2002
IDENTIFIED THROUGH DNA AS DONNA JOE FROM BURNT CHURCH.
Donna Joe, a transient originally from the Burnt Church reserve in northeastern New Brunswick. Joe's death is regarded as suspicious. While little is known about Joe, she is believed to have been born in the 1960s. She was a homeless woman who visited Fredericton soup kitchens and shelters. People who knew her said she was quiet, sombre and preferred to be left alone.
UNSOLVED
Gladys Simon
UNSOLVED
Michelle Ginnish
MICHELLE GINNISH, aged 22, died at a house party on Sept. 19, 2004, seconds after a 25-centimetre knife was plunged behind her collarbone and sliced a main artery in Membertou, NB.
Krystal Paul, 23 has been convicted of Michelle’s murder.
The court was told that the victim, who was impaired like everyone else at the party, had exchanged words with Ms. Paul over Ms. Paul s alleged lack of parenting skills in caring for her children, who are now aged 6, 4 and 3.
Judge Ross said that even members of Ms. Paul s family had concerns about her mothering abilities. Family members have cared for the children since she was taken into custody 14 months ago.
One of the children allegedly was fathered by the victim s brother.
Court was told that after the insults were hurled at the party, Michelle Ginnish "stomped her feet" and chased a scared Ms. Paul out of the house. Ms. Paul called 911 and reported, in lucid fashion, her fears that Ms. Ginnish would come after her and attack her. Police advised her to lock her doors, stay home and not return to the party.
But Ms. Paul met with other friends to drink more and consume more drugs, including a prescription pill that she snorted. They went to the house party, with Ms. Paul taking three knives, including one with a 25-centimetre blade. But her friends tossed the knives into the brush before they arrived at the party. Police later recovered the knives.
The murder weapon, taken from the kitchen at the party, was later found on a lawn.
Witnesses said Ms. Paul, who has a Grade 7 education and has been living on her own since age 12, walked past Ms. Ginnish on the steps and went into the kitchen. Ms. Ginnish followed her inside but stumbled out seconds later after the stabbing. No one saw the fatal blow. The house was filled with people but they were in other rooms.
"Michelle stumbled back out,"one of the more sober people at the house testified earlier this year.
"She said She stabbed me," the witness said. "Krystal was pacing in the kitchen with the knife in her hand."
Ms. Ginnish soon collapsed on the steps and died from extreme blood loss, despite receiving immediate medical attention from a trained medical responder at the party.
Ms. Ginnish was university educated and working to enhance and preserve the Mi kmaq culture of Membertou. She had a promising future but her childhood was troubled and marred by drug and alcohol abuse.
The Crown contended that Ms. Paul didn t mean to kill Ms. Ginnish but did "intend to cause her some harm."
Judge Ross called the crime senseless. He ordered Ms. Paul to submit a DNA sample to the national crime database and banned her for life from possessing weapons.
"Krystal likely felt intimidated by Michelle s strength of character and in a general sense was jealous of what Michelle was doing with her life," Judge Ross said in passing sentence as Ms. Paul shook her head no.
"It was a combination of fear and resentment."
Six sheriff s deputies were in court for the sentencing and one seized a knife that a metal detector discovered when scanning people entering the public gallery.
A thin, frail-looking Eleanor Ginnish questioned the justice system for even considering, let alone granting, a five-year prison sentence for her former neighbour, Krystal Paul, 23, in the death of Michelle Ginnish at a house party in Membertou last year.
"I lost my only daughter Michelle for life, and to me this is nothing, my daughter is gone," Ms. Ginnish told Judge Peter Ross before he imposed the manslaughter sentence the Crown and defence jointly recommended.
"I don t know how I can really handle this anymore. . . . My sons tell me, We lost our only sister and we don t want to lose you, " she said, her voice breaking.
"I hope you listen to that advice," Judge Ross told her softly. "Although much is lost, much remains to live for."
Ms. Paul had a tough time composing herself during her sentencing hearing in Sydney provincial court. She was originally charged with second-degree murder but the Crown reduced the charge to manslaughter after a preliminary hearing in June. She then changed her plea to guilty.
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