The family of an Onion Lake Cree Nation man is calling on the RCMP to re-open the investigation into his death.
The body of 54-year-old Glenn Waskewitch was found in a wooded area on the reserve on Aug. 19.
Police have classified the events surrounding his death as “non-suspicious.”
However Waskewitch’s family say his death was not a suicide and think foul play may have been involved.
Cousin Grant Whitstone says the RCMP needs to have another look at the case and further examine evidence.
“The family demands that the RCMP investigation be re-opened with an autopsy performed on the body to determine the cause of Mr. Waskewitch’s death,” he says.
RCMP spokesperson Corporal Rob King says police are open to reviewing the case.
“Basically a thorough investigation was conducted at the time that his body was discovered,” he says. “Right now, the family’s requesting that we look at the investigation again and we definitely have no problem looking at the investigation again. Making sure that all the conclusions based on the evidence were logical and basically made sense.”
A press release by the Onion Lake First Nation says parts of Waskewitch’s remains, including his skull, have still not been found in spite of an extensive search.
The release also says that the coroner determined, and police agree, that his death was hanging by suicide and parts of his remains were removed by wildlife.
Waskewitch’s family says these conclusions are inaccurate.
(PHOTO: Friends and family of Glenn Waskewitch outside the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations fall assembly in Saskatoon. Photo by Fraser Needham.)