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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Teen charged in Brandon homicide

By: Ian Hitchen

Posted: 03/13/2013 7:52 AM | Last Modified: 03/13/2013 9:16 AM | Updates

Terrance Leroy Mink (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

BRANDON -- A murder charge has been laid in connection with the death of a Brandon teen, but the victim’s parents are still left to wonder why their "kind" and "thoughtful" son was killed.

Terrance Leroy Mink was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital early Monday morning. He was reportedly stabbed in a suite at a downtown apartment block.

His father, Chester Easter, says he’s relieved to hear that a charge has been laid. However, he said he still doesn’t know the details surrounding his son’s death.

"I’m in the dark... I don’t know anything about what happened over there at that place," Easter said.

Terrance’s mother, Winnifred Mink, said she’s still in shock over her boy’s death.

"I still think that he’s going to come home and then I forget that I’m not going to see him again," she said.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Police announced that a 16-year-old boy had been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Terrance’s death.

At 12:05 a.m. on Monday, officers were called to an apartment block on the 300-block of Louise Avenue. A resident of one of the apartments wanted an unwelcome man removed from the home.

Officers arrived to find Mink, 18, in a basement suite with a wound to his upper body. He was taken to Brandon hospital where he was pronounced dead around 1 a.m.

The deceased man, now identified as Terrance, is reportedly the person that the resident had requested to be removed.

Terrance was born and raised in Brandon where he recently attended Neelin high school. He lived with his father and his 14-year-old sister at their Brandon home but he was making plans to move to his own apartment.

Easter said his son was outgoing, had a good sense of humour, and enjoyed playing video games and visiting his cousins. He also enjoyed swimming and cycling.

"He was a good boy to hang around with," Easter said. "He was a good kid."

"He was a fun and easy-going person," Winnifred said. "He got along with everybody."

Father and mother say that they last saw their son at his home on Thursday evening.

They said that Terrance, however, had a minor argument with his dad. Easter threatened to call police and Terrance stormed from the home. Police attended but Terrance couldn’t be found, Winnifred said.

The parents don’t know how their son came to be at the apartment where he was later found unresponsive.

Winnifred theorized that her son may have ended up at the apartment because he had nowhere else to go after running out of the home he shared with his dad.

Terrance knew the people at the apartment because his family used to live nearby.

Besides his parents and his sister, Terrance is survived by an older stepbrother and stepsister.

The family is presently making funeral arrangements, and Easter said the ceremony may be held on the weekend.

"He’s going to get buried here in Brandon because this is where he was born," Easter said.

-- Brandon Sun