Vancouver homicide victim a Simon Fraser University professor police, identified, University, hearing, around

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Vancouver homicide victim a Simon Fraser University professor


VANCOUVER -- The woman found dead in her Vancouver home on Tuesday night has been identified as Melanie Alexis O’Neill, a Simon Fraser University professor.




Police discovered O’Neill’s body in her residence, one of three suites of a home in the 100-block of West 13th Avenue, around 10:30 p.m.




An acquaintance had asked police to check on her welfare after not hearing from her lately, said Vancouver police spokesman Const. Lindsey Houghton.




O’Neill was an associate professor in biophysical and biological chemistry, having joined the faculty in 2005.




Jon Driver, acting president and vice-president, academic and provost of SFU, said the university was “distressed” to learn of her death.




“Melanie was well liked and respected by her peers, who noted she displayed amazing strength and conviction in her research in biological chemistry,” Driver said in a statement.




“She was considered a pioneer — one of only a few scientists internationally researching how humans use light to synchronize their metabolic and behavioural patterns with the outside world.”




O’Neill won the Career Investigator Award, Scholar, from the Michael Smith Foundation for health research in 2005.




A man detained by Richmond RCMP in connection with the homicide on Wednesday was transferred to VPD for questioning and released without charges, said Houghton.




It is not known what the man’s relationship was to O’Neill, or how police were first alerted to him, but police confirmed they were “acquaintances.” He is still considered a person of interest, Houghton said.




Both of O’Neill’s parents are deceased. Her closest family members are in the Maritimes.




B. Mario Pinto, a close friend of O’Neill’s and fellow professor at SFU, said friends and faculty members are dealing with the loss “very badly.”

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The woman found dead in her Vancouver home on Tuesday night has been identified as Melanie Alexis O'Neill, a Simon Fraser University profes


The body of a woman is removed from suite 103 146 W 13th Ave, Vancouver, July 27 2011. It is Vancouver's ninth homicide of 2011




Vancouver police investigate Tuesday a deadly shooting in the 6900-block of Arlington Street in Champlain Heights. On Wednesday, police identified the vicitim as Harpreet Singh Sandhu, 21.

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“We had an open session with grief counsellors today and it was rough,” he said on Thursday afternoon. “Everyone’s in shock. She was very well-loved.”




Pinto remembers O’Neill as “very honest” and “very gentle,” a nature-lover who was very active outdoors.




“She appreciated beauty, the nature of grey skies, blue skies, birds, cats, flowers, plants,” said Pinto, his voice wavering. “She saw the best in everyone. She was really fearless in accepting people without asking too many questions. She had really admirable qualities.”




Academically, Pinto said O’Neill “never slowed down.”




“Scientifically, she was one of the most stimulating intellects I’ve ever come across,” he said. “Just being able to talk science during lunches, during dinners — and we did that often, at pubs or whatever. She’d always come with a notepad.”




O’Neill had just purchased a home in Burnaby. Her friends were scheduled to help her move on Friday, Pinto said.




Helen Hutton, who lived near O'Neill, said the incident was shocking.




“It’s a little oasis in the middle of the city,” she said of the street, where large trees formed a canopy overhead.




“It makes me extremely nervous, but I can’t help but feel it’s an isolated incident.”




The homicide is Vancouver’s ninth of 2011.




Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call VPD homicide detectives at 604-717-2500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.