Police identify woman found at recycling depot, ask for help retracing final steps

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This article was published 01/10/2018 (2180 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police are asking for help in their investigation of a body found at a recycling depot last week.

An autopsy conducted on 33-year-old Mary Madeline Yellowback did not determine whether her death was a homicide, police said Tuesday.

The body was was discovered Friday among mixed recycling materials at Cascades Recovery Inc., at 100 Omands Creek Blvd.

“There is no obvious cause of death now,” Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Tammy Skrabek said. “We are still referring to it as a suspicious death. We don’t know if this is a homicide yet.

“But it was tragic; somehow she ended up in a recycling bin.”

Skrabek said police had some previous contact with Yellowback, who had lived in both Winnipeg and God’s River in the last two years.

Yellowback’s parents will be speaking later today at a news conference organized by political advocacy group Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

Skrabek said police have now released photographs taken by surveillance cameras that show Yellowback was downtown almost 24 hours before her body was found.

Police previously said they believe Yellowback ended up in a recycling bin somewhere in the city and was unknowingly transported in a recycling truck to the depot where workers found her.

A spokesman for Cascades said Monday that a counsellor was available to speak with workers after being “horrified and deeply saddened by the discovery.”

Yellowback was wearing blue jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt with a large red R emblazoned on the front. Police don’t know whether the R is for a sports team or a school.

Skrabek said she didn’t know if Yellowback was wearing the same clothing when she was discovered.

“Investigators want to speak with anyone who had contact with Mary between Sept. 27th and 28th or anyone who recalls seeing her during this time,” Skrabek said.

Yellowback is described as Indigenous, and about 5-foot-7 in height and 135 pounds.

Anyone who can help police are asked to call the Homicide Unit at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca