Those who knew a man murdered on Red Earth First Nation are still reeling from the news of his death.
The body of Dion Head, 42, was found in his home late Saturday morning.
His aunt, Charlene Head, described her emotions when she found out what happened, saying it took days to sink in.
“(I felt) anger. Why? This is not the first homicide that happened in Red Earth. It’s because of the drugs and alcohol,” she said.
Charlene said she is related to both the victim and the accused in Dion’s death.
Two males, a 16-year-old boy who can’t be named due to a publication ban and 20-year-old Ernest McKay, were arrested the same day Head was found and have since been charged with robbery and second-degree murder.
Charlene said her nephew, Dion, was a quiet, friendly man who kept to himself.
“He takes care of his mother and they live together alone” on Red Earth, she said, adding that Dion had a happy childhood but had his own share of struggles with health issues in the family that “caused him to withdraw from people.”
“The very fact that he was a target speaks volumes” about the struggle with alcohol and drugs in the community, she said.
Charlene was one of many relatives of both the victim and the accused who packed Melfort Provincial Court the first court appearance on the matter.
After an adjournment – until August 11 for McKay and August 13 for the youth – family members sobbed loudly in the hallway.
Charlene also cried as she spoke about troubles with addiction in Red Earth. A similarly violent event happened on Jan. 1, 2013 when a young man was killed by three men. She is a band councillor for the First Nation.
“It’s not going to stop overnight. We need to find ways to reconcile. Reconcile the community. It’s gotta stop and we need to know, and tell our children, that we’re all related,” she said.
Healing is needed for all those involved, but the issue of funding to deal with the social issues on the First Nation will hurt that process, Charlene said.
“Sure they’ll do their time, the process will go, justice will be served. But what about the after? What about the ones that are in jail right now? What do we do with them? They’re hurting too and there’s family at home hurting.”
The 16-year-old boy and McKay remain in custody.
McKay faces a long list of previous charges. They include assault, assault with a weapon, and multiple failures to appear in court.