Woman sought in second Winnipeg homicide

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This article was published 16/06/2022 (1239 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 34-year-old Winnipeg woman wanted in connection to a February slaying is now accused in a second recent homicide.

Leah Carol Clifton is facing two counts of second-degree murder, but city police say she is actively evading law enforcement.

“Homicide investigators have made diligent efforts in trying to attempt to arrest and bring her to answer for her charges,” Winnipeg Police Service Const. Claude Chancy said Thursday, appealing to the public for information on Clifton’s whereabouts.

“We are trying to use every tool possible to get this dangerous offender off the streets.”

Clifton was first accused — along with two other suspects, who have since been arrested — in the slaying of Heather Marie Cheyane Beardy, 26.

Beardy was found dead Feb. 2 in an apartment on the 400 block of Furby Street.

On May 19, Doris Lydia Trout, 25, was found dead in a Kennedy Street apartment complex.

Police identified two suspects in Trout’s slaying, including Clifton.

Homicide detectives charged Meagan Leigh Beaulieu, 27, of Winnipeg with second-degree murder June 7, as well as two court breaches. Beaulieu has no past convictions, court records show.

Police first sought the public’s help in tracking Clifton on March 10, releasing a mugshot and her description.

Clifton is white, 5-6, 140-150 pounds, with a medium build.

She has a tattoo with the words “RIP Dean” on the right side of her neck. Police said Clifton is known to alter her appearance, including changing hair colour.

On May 24, police released surveillance photos of two women they called persons of interest in Trout’s slaying.

On Thursday, police confirmed the woman in one of the sets of photos was Clifton, with her hair dyed a darker colour than in the initial mugshot.

Chancy said the homicide unit believes Clifton is still in Winnipeg.

The spokesman noted while Clifton is considered armed and dangerous and shouldn’t be approached, she doesn’t pose a risk to the majority of the public, as the accused and victims in the slayings were involved in an unspecified street drug subculture.

“It’s very concerning… (but) I certainly don’t want to alarm the public (into) thinking these are homicides that were out of the blue, that were… directed to members of the public,” Chancy told reporters Thursday.

“These are people that are involved in this certain (street drug-user) culture, were in the same locale and, unfortunately, brought them to their demise.”

It’s not common for Winnipeg police to seek the same suspect in multiple killings, Chancy said, adding sometimes suspects evade law enforcement for long periods.

“It does happen — some people have been at large for months and sometimes years before they get caught by police.”

Clifton has been past convicted of numerous theft-related charges and breaches of conditions, according to court records, but no violent offences.

Clifton has outstanding charges for possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000 and two breaches of undertakings; she was charged Jan. 18, and was last supposed to appear in court May 17.

During an August 2016 hearing for charges of break-and-enter theft and theft of a motor vehicle, Clifton was sentenced to 10 months total, less time in custody. Court heard, at the time, she had been addicted to drugs and alcohol since the age of 13.

Police ask anyone with information on Clifton’s whereabouts to contact homicide investigators at 204-986-6508, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477, or 911.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera