Murder of Marrisa Shen

Marrisa Shen (October 20, 2003[1] – July 18, 2017) was a 13-year-old Canadian girl whose body was found in a wooded area in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, on July 19, 2017.

Marrisa Shen
Born(2003-10-20)October 20, 2003
Died(2017-07-18)July 18, 2017 (age 13)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Chinese name
Chinese申小雨

Shen was reported missing by her parents a few hours before her body was found, after she failed to return home from what was supposed to be a brief trip to a nearby Tim Hortons. The police used the GPS device in her mobile phone to locate her body in the public park. The RCMP said the attack appeared to be random.[2] After Shen's death, the RCMP told parents to talk to their kids about safety and warned the public to be vigilant.[2] Days later, the police said that based on its investigations, the case would be considered a homicide.[3]

At its peak, nearly three hundred officers were involved in the investigation. Some "2,000 persons of interest" were investigated and were ruled out in the case.[4] There was little progress in the case for more than a year[5] and on the one-year anniversary of Shen's death, her family issued a letter asking the public's assistance in locating and bringing her attacker to justice.[6][7]

On September 7, 2018, the RCMP arrested Ibrahim Ali, a Syrian refugee, for the murder of Marrisa Shen.[4]

Suspect

In a breakthrough in the case, and after a 14-month impasse from the date of the murder, on September 7, 2018, RCMP arrested Ibrahim Ali (born in 1990 in Syria) as a primary suspect for the murder of Marrisa Shen.[4] Police had used a DNA dragnet technique to identify the suspect.[8] On September 10, 2018, RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) gave details of his alleged involvement in a press conference saying Ali was arrested on September 7, 2018.

Ali had arrived in Canada as a refugee from Syria in April 2017 just months before her murder, police say,[9] and was sponsored by a coalition of families on Bowen Island, as well as Vancouver's St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.[10] He has been charged with first-degree murder of Shen.[11] He had become a permanent resident of Canada sometime before his first brief appearance in court on September 14, with trial initially set for October 12, 2018,[12] but subsequently pushed back to September 2022, and then again to January 2023.[13] Jury selection began in March 2023,[14] and the trial commenced in April 2023.[15]

Trial

Ali was tried by a judge and jury, with the trial beginning on April 5, 2023. At the same time, a publication ban was put in place for all publications, removing any references to Marissa Shen's name from media until the end of the trial. Ali pleaded not guilty, stating he did not kill Marrisa Shen.[16]

On September 28, 2023, Sexual assault specialist Dr. Tracy Pickett, who testified for the prosecution, was found dead. Police stated there was no foul play.

Politicization

Ali's status as a recent Syrian refugee raised questions about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's immigration policy. Ali's court appearances were picketed by protesters calling for "comprehensive security screening" for refugee migration from Syria and to "hold Trudeau accountable."[17] Members of the Syrian-Canadian community also held vigils in remembrance of Shen, oftentimes alongside the protests opposing refugee migration from Syria.[18]

The discussion surrounding the killing became a significant point of contention during the February 2019 federal by-election for Burnaby South, with People's Party candidate Laura-Lynn Thompson integrating Shen's death into her anti-immigration platform.[19] Karen Wang, a Liberal candidate who later renounced her candidacy for the by-election due to an unrelated racism scandal, was also a known family friend of the Shen family.[20] Additionally, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel invoked Shen's murder in a call for immigration screening review reform.[21]

A spokesperson for Shen's mother communicated that while she appreciates the attention given to Marrisa's murder, she does not want the case to become political—instead, "they should focus on the violence against women and children in our society, especially women of colour."[22]

References
  1. "Marrisa Shen Memorial Page". Funeral and Cremation Services Inc. November 29, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  2. Lisa Johnson (July 26, 2017). "Marrisa Shen's homicide was a 'random' attack, police say". CBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  3. Jon Hernandez & Justin McElroy (July 20, 2017). "Death of Marrisa Shen, 13, now considered a homicide, say RCMP". CBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  4. Matt Robinson, Lori Culbert & Stephanie Ip (September 10, 2018). "Ibrahim Ali, 28, charged with first-degree murder of Burnaby teen Marrisa Shen". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  5. Stephanie Ip & Scott Brown (July 18, 2018). "One year later and police still have no suspect in Marrisa Shen's murder". The Province. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  6. Lisa Johnson (July 18, 2018). "'We miss her beyond words': Marrisa Shen's family asks for help finding teen's killer". CBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  7. marrisashen.org: One year anniversary of the homicide of Marrisa Shen
  8. MacDonald, Sarah (November 15, 2018). "Questions raised over RCMP's DNA 'dragnet' technique in Marrisa Shen investigation". Global News. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  9. "Syrian refugee Ibrahim Ali is charged with murder of Vancouver schoolgirl Marrisa Shen, 13, a case that stunned Canada". South China Morning Post. September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  10. "Vancouver church and members of Bowen Island behind joint private sponsorship of Ibrahim Ali". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  11. Dhillon, Sunny (September 10, 2018). "B.C. police announce arrest in killing of 13-year-old Marrisa Shen". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  12. "Ibrahim Ali, accused in Marrisa Shen killing, makes brief 1st court appearance". CBC News. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  13. "Trial for accused in Marrisa Shen murder postponed again". Burnaby Beacon. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  14. Naylor, Cornelia (March 17, 2023). "Jury selection underway in the Marrisa Shen murder trial". Burnaby Now. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  15. Little, Simon (April 4, 2023). "Marrisa Shen: Murder trial set to begin almost 6 years after teen's death". Global News. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  16. Nesbit, Ben (April 5, 2023). "Man accused of murdering B.C. teen pleads not guilty". CTV News. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  17. "Protesters rally outside court hearing for accused in Marrisa Shen murder". Youtube. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  18. "Large turnout for Vancouver court appearance of man accused in Marrisa Shen's murder". Youtube. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  19. Green, Melanie (March 5, 2019). "Politics still linger around Marrisa Shen murder trial". The Star. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  20. "Suspect arrested in B.C. teen's death". Youtube. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  21. Gawley, Kelvin (January 20, 2019). "Conservative MP invokes Marrisa Shen's murder in call for immigration screening review". Burnaby Now. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  22. Woodward, Jon (March 5, 2019). "Marrisa Shen murder trial shouldn't be 'political': mom's spokesperson". CTV News. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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