Teen charged in slaying near Slaw Rebchuk Bridge

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This article was published 18/05/2022 (855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 17-year-old male has been charged in the death of a man near the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge and an earlier assault that sent two people to hospital in critical condition.

Richard Dominic Anthony Contois, 31, was killed near the bridge May 6.

Police general patrol officers found Contois near a sidewalk as they crossed the span which links the city’s core and the North End, shortly before 10:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, major crimes detectives arrested a male teen, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

On Thursday, Winnipeg Police Service Const. Rob Carver confirmed Contois (who is not related to recent city homicide victim Rebecca Contois) had been assaulted with an “edged weapon.”

The teen has also been charged with a Feb. 2 assault on the 300 block of Charles Street. A suspect broke into a dwelling and injured a man and a woman with an edged weapon, Carver said. The two victims were taken to hospital in critical condition but since have been released.

Carver cautioned it’s difficult for police to determine motive, but said: “Not only are (the homicide and assaults) not related but we believe both assaults are random in nature — in both instances, the victims did not know the accused.”

However, Carver noted, he did not want to give the impression random assaults involve a person “roaming around actively looking for a target.”

“We don’t think that was the case here — but what I’m saying is the intersection between the accused and the victims, there was no known, underlying connection.”

The teen has been charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon and two counts of failing to comply with a sentence in connection with the May 6 slaying.

He is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault, committing an assault while breaking and entering, possession of a weapon, and two counts of failing to comply with conditions of an undertaking for the February incident.

He remains in custody.

The police investigation remains active. Carver asked anyone with information to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477.

The homicide victim’s brothers, Rob and Dominic Contois, told the Free Press he had a challenging life and was vulnerable, after being born with cognitive delays.

“He has five younger siblings, who love him and he cared the world for,” Dominic said recently. “Seeing the hurt in them crushes me to my core. He was always so excited to be around family, always telling jokes… always smiling.”

“Richard is going to be terribly missed,” added Rob. “He was a really good guy. He was a very nice kid.”

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera