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On Friday, March 3, Kiara Agnew (23), a Canadian woman, was found dead at the Grand Sunset Princess Resort in the town of Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun, Mexico, while on a holiday with her boyfriend, Ryan Friesen.
Authorities said that Friesen, a hockey player for the Dawson Creek Canucks, was subsequently arrested over the death of Agnew. While officials are exploring the circumstances that led to the alleged killing, government agency Global Affairs Canada acknowledged that Friesen was presently being held by Mexican authorities.
Kiara Agnew was in Mexico to celebrate her 24th birthday with her boyfriend, Ryan Friesen
Local authorities confirmed that Kiara Agnew and her boyfriend, Ryan Friesen, were at the Mexican resort to celebrate the victim’s twenty-fourth birthday. In a Twitter post, authorities confirmed the arrest and stated:
“A lifeless woman was found with possible marks of violence in a hotel located in the Xcalacoco neighbourhood.”
As per multiple reports, Agnew was a resident of the town of Dawson Creek in northeast British Columbia View Credit Union.
In a Facebook post, the Lakeview Credit Union mourned the death of their employee and said that the community was devastated by the sudden loss, which has left a deep impact on those who knew the victim:
"All at Lake View Credit Union are mourning the loss of our teammate and friend, Kiara Agnew. This is a devastating tragedy and loss for our community. We send our love and faith to all others who have been impacted."
Distraught over the incident, Katlyn Levesque, Agnew’s aunt, told CBC News that she is yet to come to terms with the loss of her niece, whom she described as a vibrant individual with an affinity towards travel:
“I didn’t want it to be true…I still don’t want it to be true. Kiara loves to travel, she has wanted to travel since she was little. She was really excited about [the trip]..she had a heart of gold. She was vibrant, courageous, driven.”
Government Agency Global Affairs Canada rep Charlotte MacLeod told the Star that the authorities are providing every possible assistance to the victim's family, adding that any additional details in the case are being kept private due to considerations for the family members.
Meanwhile, Kiara Agnew's family have launched a GoFundMe page to help raise money to help bring her body back to Canada which, according to the family, will cost around $20,000.
