‘A woman of strong Christian faith’: Pickering, Ont., stabbing victim identified

The family of the victim killed in an “sadistic and cowardly” stabbing last month describe her as “a woman of strong Christian faith.”

Eleanor Doney, 83, was identified Tuesday as the woman allegedly killed by a 14-year-old boy on May 29 in a Pickering, Ont., neighbourhood.

A shelter-in-place emergency was triggered around 5:40 p.m. after a stabbing near 2125 Lynn Heights Dr. around 3 p.m.

Doney was attacked by a male suspect, whom Durham Regional Police said she did not know. She was rushed to a trauma centre in the Toronto area, where she succumbed to her injuries.

The boy, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with first-degree murder. He is being held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on June 20.

“We want to express our gratitude to the community for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time. We especially want to thank the first responders for all of their efforts,” Doney’s family said in a statement issued by Durham Regional Police Tuesday.

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“We take comfort in the fact that she was a woman of strong Christian faith.”

2:39 14-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder of Pickering senior

Last Thursday, Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira said officers had no knowledge of a motive for the attack, which he called “sadistic and cowardly.”

Police issued a plea for more information to helped with its investigation Tuesday, and issued a reminder to members of the public regarding the boy’s identity.

“It is illegal to post photos or share identifying information about young offenders under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Sharing such images is a criminal offence,” the force said.

“We are asking you to instead turn those videos over to police and use the social media space as a place to remember Eleanor.”

Anyone with information about is asked to contact police.