OPP make Arrest in 1973 murder in Attawapiskat

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) has made an arrest in connection with a 1973 homicide in Attawapiskat.

Helen Carpenter was found deceased on October 23, 1973. She was 21 years old at the time of her death. An investigation was conducted at that time, but no charges were laid.

In late 2019, following the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry, the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch renewed the investigation and assigned a Major Case Manager and other resources, working with members of the North East Region Crime Unit and the OPP Forensic Identification Service. The investigation was conducted in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.

On October 25, 2023, the OPP arrested Remi Gregory IAHTAIL, age 78 of Attawapiskat. The accused has been charged with Manslaughter and Rape (1973 Criminal Code).

IAHTAIL is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Attawapiskat on November 22, 2023.

“For 50 years the family of Helen Carpenter and the community of Attawapiskat have been seeking answers concerning Helen’s death. Now, with the advancement of DNA technology and a focused investigation, the OPP have made an arrest in this case. The family and community can now learn the truth about what happened in 1973. Our thoughts are with Helen’s family and the entire community.” -Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford, OPP Criminal Investigation Branch

As the matter is now before the courts, the OPP cannot elaborate on evidence or investigative processes which led to the arrest.

OPP