deadmonton 2007 - barbara ann matthews
Barbara Ann Matthews, 38, was shot to death January 13th, 2007.
Avory Leonard Stamp, 20, and Clinton Allen Thomas, 22, were each charged with first-degree murder.
Police and ambulance services were called to a home on Township Road 524, just east of Highway 60, at about 8:30 a.m. on January 13th, 2007.
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Paramedics found a woman with a single gunshot wound to the upper body who then went into cardiopulmonary arrest.
The woman was revived and transported to Edmonton's Misericordia Hospital where she later died of her injuries.
Stony Plain RCMP and K-Division major crime detectives interviewed witnesses who were at the home at the time of the shooting.
Police said it appeared a social gathering was taking place and alcohol was being consumed when the woman was shot.
Enoch Chief Ron Morin said the RCMP contacted reserve officials later that morning to tell them police are investigating a homicide.
On January 14th, 2007 RCMP announced they were seeking two suspects in connection with the shooting death.
At that time police also released the identity of the victim as 38-year-old Barbara Ann Matthews.
“The two males fled the residence in a red 1996 Chevrolet Blazer bearing Alberta license plate HAE 919,” said a Stony Plain RCMP spokesman.
“Efforts to locate and arrest the two suspects in this case have been unsuccessful.”
The spokesman added enough evidence had been gathered to lay first-degree murder charges against the men and obtain western Canada-wide warrants for their arrest.
First-degree murder is distinguished by the elements of premeditation, planning and intent.
Two native men arrived at the house party but it remained unclear whether they were invited or not.
"They weren’t there very long when the disturbance took place and the shots were fired and the person got hit, and Barb Matthews was fatally wounded," the spokesman said.
"They showed up, the firearms went off and they left," adding Matthews likely knew the accused.
Police also said the two may have handguns with them.
Details about the circumstances of the shooting, the gun used or who is alleged to have pulled the trigger weren't immediately released.
One suspect turned himself in later in the day, while the other waited two days before doing so.
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Avory Leonard Stamp, a 20-year-old aboriginal male from the Enoch reserve, turned himself in to Edmonton's downtown police headquarters at about 5:30 p.m. January 14th, 2007.
RCMP did not comment on what information Stamp gave police since being taken into custody.
"He's not being uncooperative," a spokesman said. "I'm not sure what the knowledge of each other was."
Stamp was to appear in Stony Plain court on January 17th via video link from the Edmonton Remand Centre.
Clinton Allen Thomas, aka "Birdie," a 22-year-old aboriginal male, turned himself at the Stony Plain RCMP office at about 11:30 a.m. on January 16th, 2007.
There was no word as to when Thomas was to make a court appearance.
Both men were charged with first-degree murder.
RCMP had considered the pair armed and dangerous but reported no weapons recovered.
An autopsy on Matthews' body showed she died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.
On January 16th, 2007 the Edmonton Sun published an article that suggested Barbara Ann Matthews might have taken a bullet intended for one of her four teen sons.
According to a source who knew those involved, the gunmen were after one of Matthews' sons who – according to the source – had ties to the aboriginal Indian Posse gang.
"They were chasing some IPs into a house and she jumped into the way," the source told the Sun, claiming the suspects were not gang members.
The Sun source said Indian Posse members have been "causing a lot of trouble" on Enoch recently. He made an ominous prediction of more violence to come: "It's not over."
In a follow-up story, the Sun reported that relatives of Barbara Ann Matthews feared there would be more bloodshed on the Enoch Reserve in retaliation for her murder.
"I'm terrified of retaliation. What's going to go on from here? How can they all live on the reserve? I can't see it just blowing over," that paper quoted Matthews' older sister, Tracy Dickinson, from her home near London, Ontario.
When the Sun told Dickinson her sister had jumped into the path of a bullet intended for one of her sons she said, "That is believable. Barbie would give up her life for her kids. She would do that."
Matthews' mother-in-law, Helen Bruno, called for peace in the wake of Matthew's death.
"We've got to be strong enough to forgive. We've got to think about our grandchildren."
The Sun also spoke to a man who grew up at Enoch and claimed to know everyone involved.
He neither side has any gang ties and all those who were at the house knew each other and had consumed alcohol all night.
The RCMP had not commented on any gang connections in relation to the shooting in their statements.
The victim's nephew, Bill Morin, manager of the North On 60 Gas Bar, said Matthews moved to Alberta from London, Ontario nearly twenty years ago and was adopted into his family.
Morin stated she wasn't from Enoch First Nation. "I'm surprised she was even [at the house] because she doesn't live around here," he said.
However, several Enoch residents who knew Matthews said she lived with her common-law husband, Michael Bruce Bruno, at the house where the shooting happened.
Matthews was the mother of four sons aged 15 to 19 and worked for a housing program on the reserve as a labourer.
Morin said his family was devastated when hearing of the woman's death.
"It's terrible," he said.
"With all the violence happening lately, I knew it was just a matter of time before somebody died, but you never expect it will be someone you know."
Sister-in-law Charlene Morin said, "She was a happy person – always positive."
"It was important to her to show her family what it was to be responsible, and to provide for your family, and the importance of seeing that through."
Work at a construction site where Maythews was employed as a labourer was almost at a standstill.
"All my people are gone right now. They'll probably be gone for a couple of days here with the funeral and stuff," said site superintendent Andy Martell.
"She was part of the family here. She was part of my staff."
The Edmonton Sun contacted Matthews' family in London, Ontario who were still reeling from the news of her murder.
"I know she went through a lot of hell and she didn't deserve to," said her half-brother, 40-year-old Gordon Matthews.
"Barb was a great mom. She had a big heart, she was a cool person, easy to get along with. I'm going to miss her, big time."
Gordon said he had sensed in recent years that Matthews was "trying to get away from something," but didn't know the details. "I know she was trying to make something better for her kids and herself."
Gordon added that Matthews' sons were "good kids" as far as he knew.
Matthews' stepmother, Judy Matthews, said she was still in shock over her stepdaughter's violent death.
"I couldn't believe it," said Judy. "In the time I did know Barbie, she was the nicest person you'd ever want to meet."
Barbara Ann Matthews' father died about four years ago. Her mother Jackie still lives in Ontario.
On January 19th, 2007 more than 100 people attended a memorial service Barbara Ann Matthews at Enoch’s Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.
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Earlier, a funeral procession followed a hearse from the Matthews' home to the church in aboriginal tradition.
The Edmonton Sun spoke to Debbie Augustine, Barbara's sister.
The woman said convicted killers should face swift and stern justice, “not just a slap on the hand.”
She hoped her mother's alleged killers be made an example of to keep young people from solving disputes with violence.
“These young people need to know they can’t solve their problems with guns,” Augustine said.
A prayer service followed later in the evening with Matthews being buried the next day.
Enoch Chief Morin – no relation to the victim – said the whole community was hurting.
"It's very tragic," he said. "Our prayers go out to the family who has lost their loved one and to those who committed the offence, because they're hurting too."
Morin added prolific drug and substance abuse, violence and premature deaths on the reserve were issues that weighed heavily on him.
"It's frustrating," he said. "We hope the community at large would appreciate the importance of staying away from harmful activities. We need people to make better choices."
The Enoch Cree Nation reserve lies on the western edge of Edmonton. Approximately 1,400 members live on the reserve, with more residing in the city.