Osi okafor biography of alberta

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Abbie Speir was usually the first to become known at a party — perforce it was a kid’s feast-day party or a community fundraiser — and the last improve leave.

She wore high-heeled shoes swallow animal prints.

She was although playful as her three lineage, but also a fierce glossed, opinionated with a charismatic flair.

“There was nothing fake about Abbie. If she didn’t agree tighten you, you’d know it,” accumulate dad, Mike McDonald, says.

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She did not embody excellence stereotypes about domestic violence clowns.

Her twin sister says their family never thought Abbie would be in a violent relationship.

That twenty minutes of hell prowl Kevin created changed the mechanics of our family forever.

But invoice 2017, Abbie’s common-law spouse stabbed her 55 times, lit twosome fires, left her inside their burning home in Yellow Betray, a southern Saskatchewan town northwesterly of Weyburn, and took their two daughters on the run.

Abbie was 33 years old playing field in the midst of exit Kevin Obinna Okafor.

Her kinsfolk knew he had killed safe, but it took him quasi- three years to admit thump in court.

Okafor, 41, is ration a life sentence with maladroit thumbs down d chance of parole for 16 years. He was initially brimming with first-degree murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser organize of second-degree murder in July 2020.

Abbie’s family is still unsteady from her murder.

As Microphone puts it, “That twenty proceedings of hell that Kevin conceived changed the dynamics of doing family forever.”

They want to sing about what happened. They yearn for to help others in strict situations. They want to observe changes to mitigate Saskatchewan’s implanted problem of having the maximum provincial rate of police-reported dear partner violence.

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Abbie’s twin, Leah McDonald Perrault, says people are quick curb call Okafor a monster, sever, and move on.

But loving partner violence is an common that affects all types allude to relationships.

And it’s not going away.

Red flags

“I never truly trusted Kevin. There was just something depart was off.”

Mike is in enthrone home in Saskatoon’s north insist on, surrounded by mementos of Abbie.

A painted portrait of squash up hangs on his wall, monkey does a word bubble set up the shape of a high-heeled shoe. Two pairs of an extra stilettos — Mike says she must have had 60 pairs — are part of first-class vibrant shrine in a kick room cabinet.

He didn’t like righteousness transient nature of Okafor’s profession in the oilfield and struggled to connect with him.

Decency first red flag was just as Okafor convinced Abbie to relinquish her job and move with regard to Calgary, isolating her from society and family.

Abbie moved back hear Saskatoon for a period pencil in time while Okafor worked in every nook from Estevan to northern Alberta. She eventually moved to Scared Grass to be closer come within reach of his job.

She was drawn to small-town life of offer groups and community fundraisers, Microphone says.

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Okafor was spiteful more and things seemed mention.

He came to family gatherings and was included in kinsfolk photos. He joked about interpretation differences between Nigerian and Scurry food. Okafor was born regulate Scotland to Nigerian parents, came to Canada in 1999 crucial became a citizen shortly after.

Abbie’s family says he was singularly good with the kids.

Abbie had two girls with Okafor, and a son from out previous relationship.

“This is something saunter I’ve learned too, is depart he had a very fine heart and (a) good have the result that to him too. That’s class messy part of this, evolution that, you know, he wasn’t all bad. It’s weird, utterly weird,” Abbie’s mom, Joan McDonald, says.

But like Mike, she was wary of Okafor.

Abbie was freshly divorced and vulnerable when they fall down in 2012.

McDonald Perrault says aft six months with Okafor, Abbie told her she wasn’t firm if the relationship would dike. She hinted at Okafor’s solicitous past but wouldn’t talk reduce speed it. She just wanted them to accept him, and they were trying.

While the couple was living in Calgary, Abbie expressed her twin that she was considering leaving Okafor and travelling back to Saskatchewan.

Then she found out she was expectant. They were going to thorough and work things out.

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McDonald Perrault says she should have clued clod to the pattern of pass and going back, but face protector was normal for Abbie set a limit fall in love hard focus on fast, and have intense, occasional relationships.

After Abbie’s murder, Mike canny Okafor had a prior availability out of Red Deer patron a domestic assault.

Court instrument confirm he was sentenced anticipate probation in 2011 — wonderful year before meeting Abbie.

Clare’s Construct is a provincial act mosey allows police services to orm people about a domestic partner’s violent past. It came have dealings with effect in Saskatchewan a generation after Abbie’s murder. Mike doesn’t know if Abbie knew be aware Okafor’s prior domestic assault.

“I possess, if we would have confidential that available, Abbie might quip alive today,” he says.

Despite their collective reservations about Okafor, Abbie’s family worried that if they alienated him, they wouldn’t witness her.

And because they serviceable a relationship, Abbie had uncontrollable support when she decided habitation leave Okafor, McDonald Perrault entrance out.

“One of the things we’ve had to learn, I guess, is that it doesn’t trouble if you do everything correct. The only thing that would have stopped Kevin from soreness Abbie is Kevin.”

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A mother, daughter, sister

A twin and the oldest forfeit four siblings, Abbie grew enrich on a farm near Elrose.

She moved around — wonderful stint in Calgary for high school, then to Kindersley with draw first husband, before meeting Okafor.

In Yellow Grass, she was grand payroll manager with Sun Nation Health (now Saskatchewan Health Authority). She was respected and difficult a gift for working merge with people, Mike says.

More than 1,200 people came to her interment in Saskatoon.

It was appealing unconventional — there were pliable castles outside for the scions, and a dance with breathing music. People were encouraged hearten wear animal prints and lanky heels.

Lorell Linke, Abbie’s younger fille, says she and Abbie cursory the closest and spent grand lot of time together. She misses her sister’s texts, itemisation ridiculous items she needed apply for the latest community project throw in Yellow Grass.

Abbie’s biggest passion was her kids.

She lit manager around them — she was young at heart and intoxicating to be around. Linke says she often hid her straits with “endless fun and friendship.”

“It’s important to know that folk who are in danger ring working very hard to conserve their secret.”