'She was actually asking for people to help her': Tenants say London, Ont. murder victim sought assistance
Residents of a public housing complex near Western University were shaken to learn London police have laid a murder charge in relation to the death of a tenant.
London police have charged a 44-year-old man with second-degree murder in relation to the death of 62-year-old Cheryl Lynn Sheldon.
Louise Phillips, a resident of the same complex at 345 and 347 Wharncliffe Rd., had nothing but kind words for Sheldon.
"She was a very lovely woman," Phillips said. "She had, like everybody has, their flaws in today's society, but she was an amazing woman. And unfortunately, it's sad that this has happened."
Police were still on scene Monday, a day after the second-degree murder count was laid against George Kenneth Curtis.
They say Sheldon and Curtis "were known to each other."
They also attached an advisory to their media release regarding intimate partner violence and femicide.
A police cruiser parked outside of 345 Wharncliffe Rd. on June 24, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
On Friday, just hours before her death, numerous residents say Sheldon had been in and out of the hallways, and the main entrance, asking for help.
Phillips was among those who spoke with her, "She was actually asking for people to help her. It's like everybody turned a blind eye."
To that point, Phillips said she was among those who guided her to onsite help.
The next day, she was devastated to learn Sheldon had died.
She wonders if it was preventable.
"I was pretty upset knowing, like I said, as a female, there could have been preventative measures," said Phillips.
She added that security, both in-person and electronic, needs to be improved. She also wants better tenant screening and improved access procedures for female residents.
Michelle Landry agrees. She told CTV News she was already fearful of leaving or letting people into her unit at night.
With Sheldon's death and a stabbing a week earlier, she said her concerns have escalated, "I stay mostly in my house. Because the people who generally cause problems only come out at night."
A Western student who lives in a cluster of student residences down the street has the same reservations, "I don't know if it's a sign of the times or what it is, and I don't know the details of the situation, but it's concerning that it's happening so close to home."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Rail workers at CN and CPKC vote to reauthorize strike at railways, says Teamsters
Union members at CN and CPKC railways have voted to reauthorize strikes at both companies if negotiated settlements can't be reached, raising the threat of supply chain disruptions across Canada.
Who are the richest people in Canada? Here's how many billionaires there are
If you gathered all the wealth that billionaires currently have worldwide, you would have about US$14.2 trillion, according to Forbes Magazine. But what about in Canada alone?
'7 years of regret': Raunchy leg piece wins bad tattoo competition at Edmonton Expo Centre
Friday night was a celebration of mistakes for a small group of body art enthusiasts.
Another embarrassment for a proud soccer-nation: Italy's title defence limps away at Euro 2024
In the end, 10 months weren't enough for Italy coach Luciano Spalletti to have the Azzurri playing like his title-winning Napoli club. Or even like any of the title-winning Italy teams of old. The honors feature four World Cups, two European Championships.
Beryl strengthens into a hurricane in the Atlantic, forecast to become a major storm
Beryl strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday as it churned toward the southeast Caribbean, with forecasters warning it was expected to become a dangerous and major storm before reaching Barbados late Sunday or early Monday.
Health Canada recalls brand of sunscreen product due to potential fungal contamination
Double check your sunscreen products before lathering up this long weekend, as Health Canada has recalled several lots across the country.
Germany beats Denmark 2-0 to advance to Euro 2024 quarterfinals after storm stops play
Germany went from despair to delight in the space of a minute as a couple of big video review calls set the host nation on its way to a storm-affected 2-0 win over Denmark and a place in the European Championship quarterfinals on Saturday.
Tenants in 16-floor apartment building in Ottawa's west-end served eviction notices
More than 100 people in Ottawa's west-end are in the process of receiving eviction notices to vacate their 50-year-old apartment building for renovations.
United Nations starts to move tons of aid from U.S.-built pier off Gaza coast after security fears suspended work there
Humanitarian workers have started moving tons of aid that piled up at a U.S.-built pier off the Gaza coast to warehouses in the besieged Palestinian territory, the United Nations said Saturday, an important step as Washington considers whether to resume pier operations after yet another pause because of heavy seas.