Neighbours stunned by woman’s slaying, decry violence in public housing

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Neighbours at a London public housing apartment building are expressing grief over the death of a 62-year-old woman in what police say was the city’s third homicide of the year.

They’re also rattled by what they call growing problems with violence at 345 Wharncliffe Rd. N., where officers spent the weekend investigating the Friday night slaying of Cheryl Lynn Sheldon.

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“She was a nice lady,” said Michael Partridge, who has lived for a year in the complex, just north of the Wharncliffe Road-Western Road intersection.

George Kenneth Curtis, 44, of London is charged with second-degree murder, police said, adding he’s next set to appear in court on Tuesday. Curtis and Sheldon were known to each other, said police, who remained at the scene on Monday morning.

Another tenant who’s lived in the building for seven years described Sheldon as a friend.

“She was quiet. She didn’t bother anyone but kept to herself,” said the tenant, who only gave her first name, Karen. “She was a homebody, didn’t come out unless she was walking a dog. She was a nice lady.”

Another neighbour, Carrianne MacInnis, also knew Sheldon. “For this to happen to someone you know is ridiculous. She was very nice.”

Amid the shock of the Friday night homicide, residents on Monday expressed concern over other incidents of violence. Just a few days prior to the woman’s death, on June 16, they say there was a stabbing that left a man with life-threatening injuries.

Resident Katie Nowia was walking her dog, Buddy, on Monday morning. She agreed violence is an issue.

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“There is something bad that happens every weekend,” she said. “People fighting, yelling. I turn on my air conditioner so I don’t have to hear it.”

The building is operated by London & Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) and is one of the biggest run by the publicly funded agency. Earlier this year, The Free Press published an investigation into issues with LMCH housing, including at 345 Wharncliffe and the adjacent 349 Wharncliffe.

Several tenants at those two buildings spoke of pests, mould, broken appliances, leaks and other issues that are ignored or haphazardly addressed. Paul Chisholm, the agency’s chief executive, at the time acknowledged the need to improve maintenance, pest control and communication with tenants.

The death of Sheldon was one of two homicides this weekend at properties owned by the public housing agency. The other, at 1057 Southdale Rd. E., claimed the life of 18-year-old Abdul Hashim, known to friends as Zeko. Two 17-year-old males are charged with second-degree murder.

In a statement on Monday, LMCH officials declined to comment on any specific incident, citing privacy concerns, but said they are “dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.”

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The statement continued: “Our community safety team conducts regular patrols and responds to requests for assistance during regular business hours and we have static security at (the) Wharncliffe (property) along with a mobile security supervisor.”

There are plans to bring more staff to the property by year’s end, they said.

Owned and funded by city hall, LMCH houses more than 5,000 tenants across 32 properties.

ndebono@postmedia.com

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