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Police say female murder victim was not living high-risk lifestyle

A woman whose body was dumped in the Riverside industrial area on Wednesday was not leading a high-risk lifestyle when she was murdered, say Red Deer city RCMP.

A woman whose body was dumped in the Riverside industrial area on Wednesday was not leading a high-risk lifestyle when she was murdered, say Red Deer city RCMP.

Spokeswoman Cpl. Kathe DeHeer shared a few details on Monday about 27-year-old Talia Nellie Meguinis, who grew up on the Tsuu T’ina reserve on the southwest edge of Calgary.

“She was not homeless, not known to police,” said DeHeer. “We have no information to suggest she was leading a high-risk lifestyle.”

A high-risk lifestyle can include illegal drug use or the sex trade, DeHeer added.

Police also confirmed on Monday that the homicide of Meguinis didn’t occur at the location she was found. Someone called 911 after spotting the body around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

An autopsy was conducted but police have not released the cause of death.

It’s believed that Meguinis arrived in Red Deer on Friday, Feb. 17. Police are looking for anyone who may have had contact with her in the five days before Wednesday, the day she was found dead in an undisclosed area.

DeHeer wouldn’t say if they had any leads.

“This is a very complex investigation and we have a lot of resources on this,” said DeHeer. “We have to hold our cards pretty close to our chests.”

Relatives have said that Meguinis was a mother to three sons, but had recently lost custody of them.

Joe Derrett, a full-time volunteer at Berachah Place, said he remembers Meguinis coming into the day shelter but not lately. Volunteers at the shelter, located at 4611 50th Ave., write down people’s names so they can keep track of who is coming and going.

Derrett said he couldn’t remember what Meguinis looked like but if he would have seen her face, he would have known who she was.

“We get to know everyone by their first name,” said Derrett. “I asked her to spell her first name for me.”

Meguinis would have likely come in to have a bite to eat or to get warm since this is the only shelter that’s open during the day, he said.

Derrett hadn’t heard that Meguinis was dead, so he was shocked to hear the news.

“Oh no!,” he said. “We’re all a big family here so she’s going to be missed.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 403-343-5575, anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online atwww.tipsubmit.com.

ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com