News Release

News Release

Update: Woman Identified in Windsor Death Case; SIU Appealing for Witnesses

Case Number: 17-OOD-267   

Other News Releases Related to Case 17-OOD-267

SIU Investigating Death of Woman in Windsor
No Criminal Charges Warranted in Relation to Woman’s Death in Windsor

Mississauga, ON (13 October, 2017) ---
In accordance with the Special Investigations Unit’s name release policy which requires consent from next of kin, the Unit is releasing the name of the 26-year-old woman who died last month, weeks after an interaction with Windsor Police Service officers.

The deceased is identified as Marissa Ellis of Chatham.

Preliminary information suggests the following:
  • At approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, September 4, 2017, a 26-year-old woman was part of a group of individuals gathered outside the Windsor Public Library located at 850 Ouellette Avenue. Windsor Police Service officers arrived and the woman was arrested and taken to the police station.
  • As the woman was behaving erratically, EMS was called and the woman was transported to hospital.
  • The woman was released from hospital the following day, but readmitted on September 10, 2017.
  • She died in hospital on September 19, 2017.

Two investigators have been assigned to this incident.

At this time, two witness officers and two subject officers have been designated.

SIU investigators believe that several persons witnessed the arrest, given the time of day and the number of persons in the area. The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.

If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations

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