Roblin father, daughter ‘very kind people’

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This article was published 07/03/2025 (195 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — A Manitoba father and daughter who died while vacationing in Mexico for the winter are being remembered by family for their kindness and their support to people in need.

Marcel Gregoire, 78, and Kanene Gregoire, 47, were found dead inside an apartment in the Pacific resort city of Mazatlan on Feb. 28. Marcel’s 80-year-old wife, Linda, who was found alive in the suite, remained in hospital Thursday.

The couple’s son said a prosecutor who oversaw an investigation told him the deaths were health-related and not suspicious.

“They were both very kind people,” Joel Gregoire said of his father and sister in an interview from Mazatlan, where he was visiting his mother in hospital. “Neither case seems suspicious. I think it’s just a weird coincidence that they went together.”

The Gregoires and their daughter lived in Roblin, about 229 kilometres northwest of Brandon. Marcel was a retired lawyer who cared for his wife, who has dementia.

Joel said the trio travelled to Mazatlan in November. They were staying in an apartment block in Sabalo Country, a neighbourhood that borders the ocean.

Neighbours alerted local authorities after they didn’t see the family members for about three days.

Earlier this week, Global Affairs Canada confirmed it was aware of the situation, after Mexican media reports said the deaths of two unnamed Canadian tourists were being investigated.

Joel said autopsy reports listed his father’s cause of death as bronchial pneumonia and his sister’s death as acute pancreatitis.

He said officials estimated Marcel died about 60 hours and Kanene about 48 hours before their bodies were found.

Joel said his mother was not aware of things due to dementia, but otherwise was healthy after being found on a floor in the apartment.

The attorney general’s office of the state of Sinaloa opened an investigation into the deaths.

“According to the results of the investigation, the cause of death of both people was natural, derived from previous health problems,” a spokesperson told the Winnipeg Free Press in a statement.

Joel flew to Mazatlan from Winnipeg on Monday morning, after he was notified of his father and sister’s deaths.

He said he will bring his mother back to Manitoba once he is able to retrieve her passport from the apartment, which was cordoned off for the investigation, and he completes the steps required to repatriate his father and sister.

“It’s been a long few days. I’m just pushing through as best as I can,” he said. “Thank you to those that have reached out and offered help.”

Marcel and Linda Gregoire travelled to Mexico annually to escape Manitoba’s harsh winters. Mazatlan, located in a western region that is known for drug cartel violence, is a popular destination for Canadian snowbirds and tourists.

This was the first time Kanene made an extended trip with her parents, Joel said.

She moved back to Roblin last summer, after living in Winnipeg. Joel described his sister as a “friend to all.”

“Kanene lived life with resilience, and provided support to friends and family in need, and tried her best to show love and comfort when needed,” he said. “Kindness was her gift. She will be missed by her children and her grandchildren, her siblings and family.”

Joel described his father as a “kind soul.”

“He cared for all people in his community and was a great role model,” Joel said. “He loved golfing and was amazing at taking care of his wife Linda. He will be deeply missed by friends and family.”

Roblin head of council Robert Misko, who knows the Gregoires, said people in the community, which has a population of about 1,600, were in shock after learning of the deaths.

“He was in the community as long as I could ever remember,” Misko said of Marcel. “They were community people. They volunteered for different things.”

A Global Affairs Canada spokesperson said the department is aware of the deaths of two Canadians and that another Canadian required medical assistance.

“Consular officials are providing consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities to obtain additional information,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to the Free Press.

» Winnipeg Free Press