Hearts ‘dim’ after woman slain

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This article was published 03/06/2022 (1566 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mourners gathered at the Riverbank Discovery Centre Wednesday evening to honour the life of Tessa Perry, a woman killed in an act of domestic violence in Winnipeg Saturday.

Tessa’s murder snuffed out a ray of light in the lives of her family and friends, said longtime friend Jessica Caribou.

“[Her] smile is pure sunshine and it cannot be replaced. There’s a lot of dim hearts now that that light is not here with us,” Caribou said.

Caribou, 32, first met Tessa, 31, when she moved to Thompson at the age of five. The two became fast friends and grew up fostering a camaraderie that lasted almost three decades.

Caribou later moved to Brandon and Tessa and her children followed shortly after to attend school.

Tessa spent around four years in the Wheat City before relocating to Winnipeg a month ago for a fresh start and to pursue her post-secondary studies in social work.

Caribou described Tessa as “beautiful, funny, smart, amazing and all the nice things you can say about a person in this world.”

“She was a very, very amazing person, and you couldn’t match her hilarity. She was always there to make you smile, to tease you in the best way.”

Tessa found joy in making herself and others laugh. She found humour through the people around her, Caribou said, but a joke was only funny if everyone was laughing together.

“She was definitely a beautiful, humorous soul,” Caribou said.

Around 100 people gathered at the Riverbank Discovery Centre Wedensday to mourn Tessa’s death. She was found near her Marlow Court home severely injured on May 26. She died in hospital two days later.

Winnipeg police said Tessa, who was a mother to four children, died after being assaulted on Marlow Court near Inkster Boulevard. Her unconscious body was discovered by police in the area.

Justin Alfred Robinson, 29, is charged with second-degree murder and failure to comply with a probation order. He remains in custody.

Tessa was the fourth Indigenous woman to be killed in Winnipeg this year, and the third since May 16.

The Riverbank vigil featured stories of tears and laughter from those who knew Tessa, prayers, songs and the release of flowers and balloons along the banks of the Assiniboine River in her memory.

A large memorial at the Fusion Credit Union Stage grew as mourners arrived at the Riverbank Discovery Centre.

The vigil was “beautifully unexpected,” Caribou said. It was powerful to see the community gather to honour Tessa and her family.

“I’m just so grateful and thankful that everybody showed up in honour of Tessa,” Caribou said.

Caribou wants people to know there is hope for those experiencing domestic violence and ensure the greater community can recognize the signs of someone in distress.

“We’re here for the awareness,” Caribou said. “It’s about the awareness, that’s what we came here for tonight — we’re going to keep going for her.”

Tessa’s mother Angie Perry travelled from Flin Flon to Winnipeg then to Brandon after learning of her daughter’s death. Her eldest son, Lyle Perry, travelled from Brooks, Alta., to attend the Brandon vigil along with Tessa’s children Keigan Wright, 15, and Abby Wright, 12. Tessa’s other two children Kai Perry, 7, and Bryleeann Perry, 5, didn’t attend the event.

It was beautiful to see the community gather for the vigil, Lyle said, and he appreciates the support shown for his slain sister.

“It just sucks that it has to be something like this to receive this kind of support,” Lyle said. “I just wish there was more for her when she needed it, as opposed to after she’s gone.”

Tessa had so many people that loved her, Angie said.

“She was amazing. She never held anything back. She was straightforward, but in a happy, fun way,” Angie said.

Tessa previously studied to become a teacher but decided to transition into social work once she settled in Winnipeg.

“She wanted to be a social worker because she was so good with people,” Angie said.

Tessa was working to start a new chapter in her life in Winnipeg, she said, but her daughter’s goals were cut short by her murder.

Prior to her death, Tessa had been reaching out for all types of support, Lyle said, but the system failed her.

“The way Tessa’s life was taken, people need to be aware of domestic violence,” Angie said. “People don’t even realize or know until something like this happens.”

» ckemp@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press, Local Journalism Initiative

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp