Police tape surrounds a home in Winnipeg's West End neighbourhood on Oct. 29, 2021. A man has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and attempted murder in the deaths of two people and a stabbing at a Winnipeg hospital.Kelly Geraldine Malone/The Canadian Press
Police won’t say what motive was involved after a man was charged with killing his parents and then attacking a nurse at a Winnipeg hospital.
“That’s probably one of the bigger pieces of the puzzle – there are three people involved here – that’s something that we obviously want to try and find out,” RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre said Monday.
Trevor Farley, 37, has been charged with first-degree murder in his mother’s death, second-degree murder in his father’s death and attempted murder in a stabbing at a Winnipeg hospital last week.
Mounties said officers were initially called Wednesday to do a wellness check in the Rural Municipality of Hanover, south of the city, and found 73-year-old Judy Swain dead. Sgt. Manaigre did not give details but said there had been a violent assault.
Officers gathered information about a suspect and advised Winnipeg police that he could be heading to the city.
“It was dynamic. It was quick,” Sgt. Manaigre said.
Police then responded to an assault of a woman in her 60s at Seven Oaks General Hospital. Family members have identified her as Candyce Szkwarek.
Winnipeg police Constable Rob Carver said officers arrived just after the stabbing.
“The assault has just taken place and the suspect is being held by people in the hospital as we walk in the door,” Constable Carver said. “He’s taken into custody instantly by our guys as they walk in.”
Constable Carver said the nurse’s injuries were “horrifically severe” and she will be in hospital recovering for a long time.
In the hours following the arrest, police made their way to a home in Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood, where they expected to inform family members about what had happened.
Instead, officers found the body of 73-year-old Stuart Farley.
Police said they believe that Stuart Farley was the first to be killed, followed by Ms. Swain shortly after, before Trevor Farley headed to the hospital.
“They all occurred very quickly,” Constable Carver said.
The suspect is a registered nurse. Court records show he was employed at Seven Oaks Hospital.
He was taken for a medical assessment after his arrest and was charged on the weekend.
Stuart Farley was originally from England and was retired, friends have said. They described him as a great conversationalist who will be missed.
Swain ran Tri-Pop Farm on her property. She was known for her chickens, which she sold at farmers markets and was described as caring and down to earth.
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