Raymond Cormier found not guilty in death of Tina Fontaine
(The Star Religion)

WINNIPEG—A man accused of killing a 15-year-old Indigenous girl and dumping her body in Winnipeg’s Red River has been found not guilty of second-degree murder.Tina Fontaine’s remains were discovered eight days after she was reported missing in August 2014. Raymond Cormier was charged more than a year later.The jury deliberated for 11 hours before coming to its decision.There were gasps from Tina’s family and their supporters as the verdict was read. Her great-aunt, Thelma Favel, who raised the girl wept.Read more:Jury to decide fate of Raymond Cormier, accused of killing Tina FontaineProsecutors argue Raymond Cormier’s own words convict him in Tina Fontaine’s deathJury finished hearing evidence in trial of man accused of killing Tina Fontaine“Do you really think you’re going to get away with it?� yelled one woman who was escorted out of court.The Crown had argued that Cormier convicted himself with his own admissions on secret police recordings, but the defence said numerous forensic holes in the prosecution’s case had left reasonable doubt.Tina was being sexually exploited after coming to Winnipeg from her home on the Sagkeeng First Nation. Her death prompted renewed calls for an inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.There was no DNA evidence linking Cormier to the teen and doctors who were called to testify said they could not definitively say how Tina died.Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Glenn Joyal had told jurors that if they weren’t satisfied that Tina’s death was caused by an unlawful act, such as being smothered or dumped in the water while unconscious, then they had to find Cormier not guilty.If they decided her death was unlawful, then jurors were to determine if Cormier was responsible.Over three weeks of testimony, the jury heard how Tina’s relatively stable upbringing spiralled out of control when her father was murdered. Her mother came back into her lif ...