Rewards offered as police appeal for information to solve two violent murders in Pikangikum First Nation

Tim Brody - Editor

Ontario Provincial Police are hoping members of the public can help them crack two unsolved homicides that happened in Pikangikum First Nation more than a decade ago.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and Detective-Inspector Randy Heida - Major Case Manager from the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch - announced at a recent news conference that the Province of Ontario is offering $50,000 rewards in each of these cases for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person, or persons, responsible for these deaths.
Ontario Provincial Police shared in a news release, “James Strang was 83 years old when he was murdered in his home in 2008. A widower since 1989, Mr. Strang was a long-time resident of the Pikangikum First Nation and the father of seven children. Mr. Strang was an active and respected elder of the community where he owned and operated a small store attached to his house. On October 10, 2008, Mr. Strang was found deceased inside his residence. A post-mortem examination was conducted on October 14, 2008; the cause of his death was determined to be blunt force trauma. Mr. Strang had been severely beaten and murdered.”
Police further informed, “Judy Ann Quill was 33 years old when she was murdered in 2009. Ms. Quill was a lifelong resident of Pikangikum and the mother of two children. She was last seen leaving a family member's house in the early morning hours of March 22, 2009 and discovered a short while later in a wooded area having sustained serious injuries from a vicious assault. Ms. Quill was transported to the local medical centre but died of her injuries. A post mortem examination was conducted on March 23, 2009; the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Ms. Quill was severely beaten and murdered.”
“Community safety and well-being are everybody's responsibility, the police and the community. We're hopeful that by offering the reward of $50,000 to identify the killer or killers of Mr. Strang or Ms. Quill, that we will be able to bring resolution to their families," Carrique stated.
“Hundreds of interviews have been completed, many with important information for the investigation, and these will also continue. No piece of information is insignificant. No piece of evidence will be overlooked. We are confident that there is someone from, or who was in, this area when these crimes occurred and has information about these cases that will help us,” Heida added.
Police are urging anyone with information about these cases contact them on the dedicated Tip-Line 1-833-728-3415, through their nearest Ontario Provincial Police communications centre at 1-888-310-1122, or their local police service, or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or access their website at: www.p3tips.com/273.