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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Police investigating homicide after finding in downtown dumpster

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 02/21/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 02/21/2012 2:45 PM | Updates

Winnipeg police search through a garbage bin in the area of York Avenue near Smith Street Monday. They said they found 'items of concern.' (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

A finding in a downtown dumpster in Winnipeg on Monday has led to a homicide investigation, police said Tuesday morning.

The homicide is the city’s 5th of the year.

Police are in the process of positively identifying the deceased and notifications to next of kin are pending.

"We have located evidence to support that a homicide has taken place," said Const. Jason Michalyshen, a spokesman for the Winnipeg Police Service.

He said the investigation has gone "non-stop" since Monday morning.

Const. Michalyshen said given the "sensitivity" of what officers are dealing with he didn’t want to comment on a report that severed hands were found.

Police did not say if the remains found belonged to a man or a woman.

A police spokesman said he could not confirm if it was body parts that were located.

Police have not formally commented on what was found in the garbage dumpster, but forensics officers were on scene at the dumpster at Donald Street and York Avenue and there was a report human remains were located there.

Officers on Monday held up tarps to hide the scene from people on the street and the media while investigators pulled items out of the trash bin behind an apartment block at the corner of Smith Street and York Avenue.

The official word from police on Monday was "items of concern" were located in the area late in the morning.

Residents of Le Chateau York at 134 Smith St. said they'd heard rumours human remains were found in the Dumpster.

But police released no information to support those claims.

An employee of a downtown restaurant found items and called police, said Const. Jason Michalyshen. He called it "a serious investigation" that would likely carry on into the evening and the next few days.

Detectives were called in to probe the scene, which was cordoned off with yellow police tape for much of the day.

The tape was pulled down at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

Justin Latchford has lived at Le Chateau York since September. He said he and a friend only learned something was happening when they saw police lights flashing outside their window before lunch.

"It's a big building, so it's easy for something to go down and no one knows about it," he said.

Amor Olson lives on the 21st floor and his apartment looks over the back lane. He said it's unusual he didn't hear anything Sunday night.

"We hear people screaming and yelling when the bars close," he said. "Oftentimes it's just kids fooling around. It's only if I hear something out of the ordinary do I go look out the window."

Anyone with information is asked to call 986-6508, or Crime Stoppers at 786-8477 (TIPS).

jennifer.ford@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 21, 2012 B1

History

Updated on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 10:23 AM CST: Updated and new headline

11:18 AM: Updated

12:09 PM: Updated

2:45 PM: Updated video.

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