Elderly woman killed in Pickering, Ont., stabbing was welcoming to 'any stranger,' former pastor says

When Kevin Armstrong received an exigency alert aft the deadly stabbing of an aged pistillate successful Pickering connected Thursday, helium thought helium recognized the code listed successful it.

The pastor, who knew the unfortunate from her 3 decades astatine his church, wondered astatine archetypal if it could truly beryllium who helium thought it was. His woman called the pistillate and near a voicemail, hopeful it wasn't true.

"When we recovered retired aboriginal connected it was her, we were devastated. We were floored," helium told CBC News. 

"She would person been welcoming to immoderate person, immoderate alien coming up to her. She would person had her hands wide open to spot what she could bash to assistance them."

CBC is not naming the unfortunate astatine her family's request. 

The woman, who the assemblage says was a retired kindergarten teacher successful her 80s, was extracurricular her location erstwhile she was repeatedly stabbed successful an onslaught constabulary picture arsenic unprovoked, "sadistic and cowardly."

A 14-year-old lad has been arrested and charged with first-degree execution successful transportation to her decease aft an hours-long hunt that included the structure successful spot alert for the adjacent community. His protected nether the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police person said they judge helium was chartless to the woman. 

Armstrong said the circumstances surrounding of the woman's decease are tragic. 

"She would beryllium the archetypal 1 to privation to spot this young antheral get assistance and the archetypal 1 to forgive him," helium said. 

'You wouldn't find a amended person'

Armstrong said the pistillate was a subordinate of the Forest Brook Community Church successful Ajax, wherever helium is simply a elder pastor. She was portion of the religion for galore years earlier moving to St. Paul's Church with her husband, helium said. 

Armstrong told CBC Toronto the woman's husband had mobility challenges and she was his superior caregiver. 

"This volition beryllium precise hard for him," helium said. 

Known to beryllium generous, kind, affable and witty, the pistillate was loved wrong their congregation, Armstrong said, adding she took portion connected their seniors' radical and room committee.  

"You wouldn't find a amended person," helium said. 

Peoples Christian Academy, a backstage schoolhouse successful Markham, confirmed the pistillate was a kindergarten teacher determination successful the aboriginal 70s. 

Remembered for her consciousness of humour, Armstrong said the pistillate and her hubby kept a scarecrow astatine the broadside of their fence. The mates would formal it up and decorate it — switching up the outfits for antithetic seasons oregon holidays similar Halloween and Christmas. 

"She did that for her neighbourhood truthful radical walking by would spot this scarecrow and [it would] bring a grin to their face," said Armstrong. 

"That was 1 of the things that was truly peculiar astir her. She loved to person amusive and she loved to play."

Neighbours told CBC News the pistillate was an avid gardener and believed she was tending to her beforehand gait erstwhile the stabbing happened. 

WATCH | What we cognize astir the fatal stabbing successful Pickering connected Thursday: 

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe confirmed the pistillate was successful her 80s and said her decease has struck a cord wrong the community.

He said helium spoke with her neighbours Thursday, who described her arsenic a "very nice" woman, who walked her dogs successful the neighbourhood and took attraction of her husband.

"It's evidently ripped the household apart. So it is very, it's very, precise melodramatic and traumatic," helium told CBC Radio's Metro Morning earlier Friday.

Armstrong said his religion has offered assistance to those grieving the woman's loss. 

"We'll grieve. A batch of radical who knew her person breached hearts. We started that process already."