The sister of Loretta Saunders, a 26-year-old woman who was killed last year, is trying to honour her legacy by completing her thesis on missing and murdered aboriginal women.
Saunders was killed on Feb. 13, 2014, when she went to collect rent from two people who had been subletting a room in her Halifax apartment. Her killers are now serving sentences of life in prison.
At the time of her death, Loretta had been studying violence against aboriginal women. She was just two months shy of completing an honours degree in Criminology at Saint Mary鈥檚 University in Halifax.
Now, in a bid to preserve and honour her legacy, her family has taken up Loretta鈥檚 cause.
Loretta鈥檚 younger sister Delilah says, in the months since her death, her parents have received many requests from people offering to complete her thesis.
Having helped with the research and readings, Delilah said she is taking on the project.
鈥淚t just seems like something that I really need to do, not just for myself but for her, to keep her voice alive,鈥�
Describing Loretta as 鈥渞esilient鈥� and 鈥渂eautiful,鈥� Delilah says the months since her sister鈥檚 death have been difficult.
鈥淪he was my role model,鈥� Delilah said. 鈥淚 wanted to be just like her, like any younger sister usually does.
鈥淪he was just a huge part of my life, we were inseparable.鈥�
Delilah said Loretta had a 鈥渧ery tough time鈥� as a teen, but things changed when she began to delve into aboriginal history.
鈥淚 think when she gained an understanding of residential school impacts, and how the cycle works, she wanted to change that and overcome it,鈥� Delilah said.
鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely been an inspiration to not just me, but so many other people recognize the perseverance and the resilience that she possessed.鈥�
Delilah says she wants Loretta to be remembered as more than just a murder victim. She has helped create a scholarship in her sister鈥檚 name. The will be open to Indigenous women attending post-secondary school in Mi鈥檏ma鈥檏i, Nunatsiavut, or Atlantic Canada.
Delilah said she鈥檚 been using writing, as well as sharing her own experience and hearing the stories of other victims 鈥渢o process my grief and put it into perspective.鈥�
Despite all her efforts, Delilah said there are still times when she experiences bouts of depression.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a serious task to get yourself out of bed and take care of yourself properly,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e been lucky to have the support of so many people.鈥�
For more information on Delilah鈥檚 work and to find out about support services for family and friends of murder victims please visit or contact Delilah at delilah@homicidesurvivor.ca.
