(Dene yatıé ɂa sı ɂeją)
As flames lit up the early morning sky on September 9, 2021, in Northlands Denesuline First Nation, the community was in a panic. A house was on fire and two people were still believed to be inside. When the fire was extinguished, the lives of Veronique Denechezhe and Ellen Tssessaze and their families were shattered.
Veronique's son Brent Denechezhe, 31, and Ellen's daughter Leona Tssessaze, 24, died in the house fire, and the RCMP declared their deaths a homicide. The two mothers could not understand what happened to their children, why anyone would want them hurt, but most of all, they did not know what they were supposed to do next.
"I struggle with my grief," said Veronique. "There are too many questions. What happened? Did he feel pain? Did they try to save themselves? If I was there, would I have made a difference?"
Veronique was working outside the community when her son died, and now she cannot see herself living there again.
"Whoever did this to Brent and Leona, whoever killed my son, is still there, still lives there. I can't be there and unknowingly wish the person who killed my baby a nice day."
Ellen agrees that not knowing what happened that night makes it hard to properly grieve her daughter.
"All I can do is remember her," said Ellen. "She was so kind and helpful. Leona was of this community – she loved to be outdoors camping, fishing and snowmobiling. She was also a really good cook and liked to bake. What I miss most is lying beside her on her bed relaxing and just talking with her."
For Ellen, working and keeping busy has helped her cope, as well as her three other children. "My children keep me going," she said. "My children are my strength."
Leona's family members have taken the loss very hard. Her two-year-old brother looks at her picture, not knowing why Leona doesn't come home. Her four-year-old nephew still won't talk about Leona, and her 12-year-old sister spends a lot of time alone, trying to not let her mother know she is crying.
"I don't know why this had to happen," said Ellen in disbelief. "I just keep wondering why. Whoever did this needs to come forward. Please come forward. If anyone knows anything, please help us. Please help our families. Speak up for Leona and Brent."
Not knowing what happened makes it very difficult to explain to the children left behind why their sister or why their father is not coming home. Brent had two children, and Veronique struggles to help them understand their father is gone.
"His girls meant the world to him," Veronique said. "My son was a great father. How do we tell his girls he's gone? How do we explain that this man who loved sports, who was a quiet man who wouldn't stop talking once you got to know him, that he is no longer going to be here to wrap them in his arms? What happens when they find out that someone made the choice to take him away from them? What happens when they realize someone in their community killed their dad and nobody has said anything?"
For both Ellen and Veronique the thought that someone in the community is capable of taking a life and is still at large is a frightening one. They do not want any other family to live their nightmare.
"Please come forward," said Ellen, very quietly, with her eyes cast downward. "For Leona. For Brent. For us. For the community. Someone come forward."
RCMP Major Crime Services investigators are actively investigating the homicide of Brent and Leona and are asking anyone with information to please call the RCMP tip line at 431-489-8551, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.
ku t'oho k'ąmbı̨ dąné hnodher horek'ą nı̨ September 9 hulta, 2021 nęnę k'e ɂeją dene naradé Northlands Denesuline First Nation k'eyaghé, ɂeyı t'a dene nadarı̨déł nı̨. Yoh dek'ą chu nadęnę yısı ts'ęn hobęhęlę dene kodanı̨dhęn nı̨. Ku kǫn honełttheth hu, ɂedırı dene Veronique Denechezhe chu Ellen Tssessaze horelyų boheheł nahóté nı̨.
Veronique bı̨yesénı̨ Brent Denechezhe 31 beghaıyé nı̨ chu Ellen belı̨yęnı̨ Leona Tssessaze 24 beghaıyé nı̨ banełt'u łeghąhı̨dher ɂeyı yoh dek'ą ye ɂeyı t'a RCMP haradı́ hu banełt'u ɂánı̨lé łeghaldé t'arı̨t'á ɂa. Ku ɂeyı ɂá banełt'u ɂedırı dene xą t'ąt'é ɂa beskęnę kohelyá k'odorelyą hılé sı, t'ąt'é ɂa ɂası kahılé bąnelt'ú t'alya, ku t'atthé hadé, t'a nodher tł'ąghé t'ahené ha k'oherelyą hılé dųhų.
"Degharé ɂedırı t'anodher ɂa daghıɂá ts'ethı̨lé sı dųhų ts'ęn," Veronique hadı́ hu. "T'a nodher beghą ɂası k'ojąhılé dąlı̨ ɂa. Ɂedłanodher nı̨ ɂá? Daghı̨ɂá husą́? Banełt'u ɂedek'ehedı́ hú? Ku behel thıyı̨ nı̨dé nesdhęn łı̨, set'a ɂedų ghonı̨ hanı̨?"
Veronique ɂeyer ch'ası́ ɂeghalaná nı̨ t'oho bı̨yesé łeghaı̨dher, ɂeyı ɂa dųhų ɂeyer nadher haılé nı̨dhęn ɂeyı t'a.
"T'ą Brent chu Leona t'ahı̨lá k'ı, t'ą sı̨yese łeghaı̨łther sı, ɂałų ɂeyer bołɂąsı, nadher ɂeyer. Ɂeyer nadher ha dué sı chu t'ą sets'ı̨ bebé łeghaı̨łther neba dzı̨ne nezų walé helésı̨ ha due sı̨."
Ellen tth'ı konı̨dhı̨ sı t'a belı̨yę hel t'anodher sı k'orelyą hılé ɂa horená sı sebá hestsagh ha chu beresnı̨ ha.
"Benasnı̨ hut'a seba hoɂą dųhų," Ellen hadı hú. "Betë chu dene ts'ewasnı̨ nı̨̨dhęn nı̨ hoketł'a. Leona ɂają̨ hots'ı̨ hat'ı̨ nı̨ – nǫ́nısı́ nadher bı̨nı̨yé łı̨nı̨, jeth theda chu yath beshenę k'e dzıréghaı́. Ber kałt'eth tth'ı́ k'olyą chu ɂası kanełt'eth ghą nı̨dhęn łı̨nı̨. Ku t'a ɂa seba dué hade ɂełga thıtı̨ huk'e ɂeła yaıłtı łı̨nı̨ ɂeyı kanı́ɂá."
Ku Ellen ba ɂú, ɂeghalaredá chu hoketł'ą ɂası hełtsı́ hoketł'a yets'ı̨nı̨ sı, ɂeyı hel tąnı̨ beskęnę tth'ı́ t'a. "Seskęnę bet'a ɂałų yunadhe husá nesdhęn sı," henı̨. "Seskęnę bet'a nastser."
Leona belot'ı̨ne horelyų ɂedırı t'anorełtth'er t'a ba due dąlı̨ sı dųhų. Becheleɂase nake beghaı sı bets'ı̨ denı̨tł'ıs nełɂı̨h sı, t'ąt'e ɂá Leona nı̨dá hılé k'orelyą hılé sı. Ku baɂase dı̨ghı̨ beghaı ɂałų Leona ghą yałtı horelɂı̨lé sı dųhų ts'ęn, bedezé nake ch'adhel beghaı sı tthenę nadher hı́ badhı́ sı, t'oho hetsagh de bą yerıtth'agh horelɂı̨lé ɂá.
"T'ąt'e ɂa donodher k'oshyąhılé sı," Ellen hadı́ hu ɂału beghą benı̨łą hel. "Ɂedłąt'e ɂa konodher nesdhęn łı́. T'ą hat'ı̨ sı dene hel korı̨nı̨ dé nezų hası̨. Dene nalé noret'ı̨ hanelé. Ɂı̨łą kulı́ beghą honı̨ nets'ı̨ dé, noreské sı nuhets'enénı̨. Horelyų nuhets'enénı̨. Leona chu Brent ba yanełtı́."
Ku ɂedırı beghą t'anodher bek'oją hılé ɂa t'ą dųhų naradé bel yatı horená sı beskęnę chu t'ąt'e ɂa nı̨dá haılé hutó t'ąt'é ɂa denetá bekuę nı̨dá hılé dųhųp. Brent nadęnę beskęnę nı̨, ɂeyı chu Veronique yets'eranı̨ t'ąt'é behetá nı̨dá hılé.
"Bets'ekuɂasé ba bebá ttheré nı̨," Veronique hadı́ hu. "Sı̨yese nı̨ denetá nezų hęlı̨ nı̨. Ku beskęnę ɂedł'ąt'u bel dayaıłtı́ ɂa bet'á hulé ɂa dųhų? Ku ɂedłąt'e bel korıdı ha ɂá ɂedırı deneyu są ghą nı̨dhęn łı̨nı̨, dene darı̨cha hılé nı̨ kulı́ bel yanełtı hıjá de dages hılé łı̨nı̨, ku nuheghą nı̨da haılé dene ɂedılchú ha dodı la dų? Ku ɂedłanodhı́ ha t'oho yenı̨darı̨nı̨ dé t'ą ɂedırı nolther yek'oherelyą́ dé? Ku honezı ɂedłahenı̨dhęn ha ɂá t'a yeta łeghąłther dene yeghą k'orelyą kulı ɂesódılé?"
Ɂe dųhų Ellen chu Veronique banełt'u hahenı̨dhęn hu ɂeyer dene naradé sı ɂı̨łąghe huto t'anolther sı dene łeghaı̨łther hu ɂałų dene nı̨sı́ nadher sı. Ɂeyı bel t'anodher sı honezı dene bel nodhı́ hodorelɂı̨lé sı.
"Nęn hanet'ı̨ dé korı̨nı̨," Ellen hadı́ hú, ts'ethı̨yé hadı sı nı̨sı̨ nełɂą hel. "Leona beba haresı̨ sı. Brent tth'ı́ hu. Nuhnı̨ tth'ı́ nuhebá. Ɂeją dene naradé tth'ı́ ba hú. Ɂı̨łą kulı́ yeghą ɂesódı́ dé nezų hası̨."
RCMP Major Crime Services ɂası nodher ha nadánetá dųhų ɂedırı Brent chu Leona bel t'anodher sı ghą ku beghą ɂası k'orı̨lyą dé ɂeją RCMP ts'ęn dųłtsı́ la nanı̨le yatı́ nı̨ɂá 431-489-8551 ts'ęn, Crime Stoppers ts'ęn tth'ı́ neba hoɂası́ 1-800-222-8477, ɂeyı hutó ɂeją tsątsané benı̨ hųlı̨ k'e www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.
Ɂedırı benı̨tł'ıs sı.