Family of Alberta woman murdered abroad has her remains

Claire Leveque is finally home.

The 24-year-old Westlock woman who was murdered in the Shetland Islands in February had her remains cremated in late March and is now back in Canada with her family.

Claire returned home on April 14 after a repatriation process, said father Clint Leveque, who recounted the emotional homecoming for his daughter.

“They’re in my possession now,” Leveque said. “There is a sense of relief. Of course, it’s not the way you want to pick up your daughter after not seeing her for so long. It brings closure.”

Leveque and his late wife Kathleen raised their children, daughter Claire and son William, in Westlock and both attended Westlock Elementary School and RF Staples School. Kathleen passed away five years ago after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

Leveque said he has plans for Claire’s remains, which will most likely take place this summer.

“Ultimately my plans are to move her and spread her (ashes) with my wonderful wife who has passed away, and Claire will be with her mother. That’s where she would want to be,” he said, pointing to an undisclosed location in Alberta.

In an update on Claire’s GoFundMe page on April 22, family spokesperson and organizer Chris Wallis said: “It is with a sense of relief that we are pleased to confirm on behalf of Clint that Claire has arrived home in Canada and is now in the hands of her family. “

Wallis shared the family’s relief at the repatriation of Claire’s remains, but noted that the relief was “compromised by the horrific reality of the manner of death and the ongoing legal proceedings.”

“We would like to continue to express our deep gratitude for the support and assistance we have received from around the world,” Wallis said.

As the outpouring of support from friends, family and Westlock residents continues, which Leveque said he is grateful for, he noted the “long battle with the courts” in the coming years.

In an email on Tuesday morning, Andrew Coyle from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service media relations team said once a body has been released they no longer play a role in the repatriation process. However, he did note that “the investigation is ongoing and no court dates have been set.”

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