Fatal fall from Downtown Eastside hotel suspicious: VPD

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The death of a 50-year-old Aboriginal woman who apparently fell from the sixth floor of a hotel on Hastings Street on the Downtown Eastside is being treated as suspicious.

Fifty-year-old Verna Simard fell from the Regent Hotel, where she lived, around 8 p.m. Vancouver Police Const. Jana McGuinness says there were reports of someone screaming just before Simard was discovered on the ground.

“There was a man in the room with her and we understand that she had been in a long-term relationship [with him] and he’s a witness at this point in this investigation,” McGuinness says.

McGuinness adds they’re looking for more witnesses because no one has reported actually seeing her fall.

“There are varying accounts of a scream being heard and then she was discovered on the ground in front of the hotel. We need to work that back with the canvass today and see if we can get other people to verify if there was anything going on, if she was one that screamed.”

But one woman in the neighbourhood, who News1130 spoke to while attending a women’s march for social housing, says she did see the fall.

“I’ve never witnessed anything like this in my life down here, really. It really hit me hard,” she says.

Another woman, Washee, says Simard was well-known and well-liked in her community.

“I don’t remember her face, but I just give my condolences to her,” she says. “It was really quiet last night, and this morning.”

Almost one year ago to the day, Ashley Machiskinic fell to her death from the same hotel.  Her friends strongly believe foul play was involved but the case has yet to be solved.

If you have any information you are asked to call the VPD Major Crime Section at 604.717.2500, Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477 or the Sister Watch tip-line at 604.215.4777.