British Columbia

Mother and daughter identified as victims in murder-suicide in northeast B.C.

A mother and her teenage daughter have been identified as the victims of a murder-suicide in a tiny community in northeastern B.C.

'The entire community is in devastation'

The murders of Linda Watson and her daughter Krystina Haggard have sparked sadness and anger in their small, northern community. (Linda Watson/Facebook )

A mother and her teenage daughter have been identified as the victims of a murder-suicide in northeastern B.C. last week.

Linda Watson, 47, and her daughter Krystina Haggard, 15, were found dead in their home on Saulteau First Nation lands in Moberly Lake, B.C.

"I don't think there's words in the English language to describe the impact this has had, the shock," said Saulteau Chief Nathan Parenteau.

'Emotions are quite high'

Both the RCMP and BC Coroners Office have declined to comment on the case, but Parenteau confirmed the pair were killed in a domestic homicide.

Tony Labrie, a non-Indigenous Quebecois man, who had recently arrived in the community, was also found dead in the home with the two women, he said.

I don't think there's words in the English language to describe the impact this has had, the shock.- Saulteau Chief Nathan Parenteau

"Emotions are quite high," said Parenteau. "The entire community is in devastation. Love, anger, frustration, and deep, deep sadness. We don't know why this would happen to Linda and Krystina or this good, good family."

Parenteau said Watson will be remembered as a community organizer, who always helped with celebrations and funerals in the community of 400 people, about 1,200 kilometres north of Vancouver.

To hear more from Chief Nathan Parenteau, listen here: 

"If she wasn't organizing, she was helping or giving ideas, or cooking or baking," he said. "She was always laughing and joking."

'Most Outstanding Student'

Her daughter, Krystina Haggard, was named "Most Outstanding Student" last year. The teenager also won a silver medal in a regional Skills Canada competition for engineering a bridge built out of spaghetti.

"She was so bright and full of potential," said Parenteau. "I remember her mom always saying, she was going places."

A vigil for mother and daughter will be held this weekend outside their home in northeastern B.C.