The woman who was murdered by her husband in Calgary over the weekend has been identified as Ania Wardzala-Kaminski.
After killing Ania and her father, Benedict Kaminski fled northwest and committed suicide before police could catch him.
While the Calgary Police Service did not release the identities of the victims, a GoFundMe set up in the wake of the murders revealed that Wardzala-Kaminski was the woman in question. Since being launched Monday morning, it has raised over $100,000.
"We are heartbroken to share the tragic passing of Ania Wardzala-Kaminski, a beloved mom, daughter, sister and friend," family friend Diana Wysocki wrote. "Kazio, Kalinka and Katsper, Ania's dear children, are now facing an unimaginable loss. In this devastating time, we seek to provide support and help these kids navigate their grief, ensuring they have the resources and care they need as they move forward without their mom."
Wysocki explained that, "Ania would have done anything for her children," and that the bulk of the money raised would go towards their future. The remainder would go to Wardzala-Kaminski's mother, Alina.
According to Wardzala-Kaminski's LinkedIn profile, she was a "French Immersion Teacher with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry."
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from University of Calgary, and described herself as "skilled in Foreign Languages, Teamwork, Teaching, Tutoring, and Public Speaking."
The first murder took place shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday night on the 0 to 100 block of Kincora Grove N.W. When police arrived on scene, they found the 70-year-old man dead.
"As officers continued to investigate," CPS explained, "a second victim, who is believed to be the deceased man’s daughter, a woman in her 30s, was located deceased in the 300 block of Tuscany Ridge Heights N.W." That discovery was made at approximately 11:15 p.m.
CPS said "both deaths are believed to be targeted and domestic in nature."
On Monday afternoon, a "dangerous person alert" was issued for Kaminsky, noting that he was "a dangerous man armed with a firearm in the areas of Northwest Calgary and Bearspaw."
A short time later, Kaminski was located in the Water Valley area, about an hour northwest of the city.
"At approximately 3:40 p.m., we received tips from the public in relation to the suspect's vehicle being parked along a road," the Calgary Police Service wrote in a statement. "Upon arrival, police located the suspect near his vehicle deceased."
