WINNIPEG – On September 27th, 2018 workers at a Winnipeg Recycling Centre made a terrible discovery. They found the body of a deceased woman in the recycling materials.
Winnipeg Police Service Homicide investigators have now identified the deceased as 33-year-old Mary Madeline YELLOWBACK (ROSS). She is an Indigenous woman, and police in Winnipeg are now looking to the public for help in finding out what happened to her.
The investigation has determined that Mary was in the downtown area during the evening of September 27, 2018. The pictures below are from the evening of September 27, 2018, and show her wearing jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt with a red R on the front. Investigators want to speak with anyone who had contact with Mary between September 27th and 28th, 2018 or anyone who recalls seeing her during this time.
Biography of Mary Tom Madeline Yellowback (Ross)
Mary was married to Clifford Yellowback and had six children, ages 13, 9, 6, 4 and 3. Mary also had one child who tragically lost her life in a car accident in 2009 at the age of 4.
Mary has four brothers and three sisters.
Mary enjoyed sports and had earned the nickname “Tom” as she played on the local Manto Sipi Cree Nation boys team in her teenage years. She was active in hockey for nearly 20 years.
Mary was employed in her community as a Home Care Worker.
She enjoyed helping the Elders enjoy a better quality of life. Mary was helpful and kind to everyone she encountered. Her family would describe her as “happy go lucky” type and Mary enjoyed having many friends back home.
Tragically Mary was a cousin to the late Sunshine Wood, who was last seen near the St Regis Hotel in Winnipeg. Her father Rex Ross was the late Sunshine Wood’s uncle. The family is hopeful that anyone who has any information to contact the Winnipeg Police
This investigation is continuing by members of the Homicide Unit. If anyone has any information related to this investigation or which may assist investigators they are asked to call 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).
