Female victim in Calgary double homicide identified as elementary school teacher

(Warning: The following story concerns a potential victim of domestic violence and may be upsetting to some readers. For those who have been impacted by domestic or gender-based violence, supports are available here.)

Rocky View School Division (RVSD) on Tuesday identified the woman who was murdered Sunday night in Calgary as Ania Kaminski, an elementary school teacher in Cochrane, west of the city.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to all who are impacted by Ania Kaminski’s death,” read a statement posted to the school division website.

According to RVSD, Kaminski taught a Grade 1/2 class at Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School in Cochrane and previously taught at an elementary school in Airdrie, Alta., and a high school in Springbank, Alta.

“She will be deeply missed by many colleagues, friends and students at Rocky View Schools,” the statement continued. “We are grateful for the positive impact Ania had on the lives of our students and staff over the years.”

The school division added that it is providing emotional support services for students and staff through school administration or the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP) for staff members.

The principal at École Edwards Elementary School sent a message to families.

"We are sorry to share saddening news that one of our former teachers, Mme Ania Kaminski, has died. Mme Kaminski worked at our school from 2018 until June 2024 and will be greatly missed by many colleagues, friends and students in our school community," the message read, in part.

"Our hearts go out to Mme Kaminski’s loved ones and all those impacted by this loss."

The message also stated supports are available to any students who may need them.

Sunday killings

Around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, police were called to a home in the 0 to 100 block of Kincora Grove N.W. in Calgary.

Officers found a man in his 70s deceased.

As police investigated, a second victim, a woman in her 30s – Kaminski -- was found dead in a home at 11:15 p.m. in the 300 block of Tuscany Ridge Heights N.W.

Police say the suspected killer was the husband of the dead woman and that the dead man was his father-in-law.

A Calgary Police Service (CPS) spokesperson said Monday that it wasn't clear what happened that night.

"Right now, the timeline is unclear," said Insp. Lee Wayne of the CPS major crimes unit at a Monday afternoon press briefing.

"The CPS were called to Kincora at 21:30 last night—so 9:30 p.m.—where we found one of the deceased—the male deceased—and then we subsequently went to an address in Tuscany where there were additional concerns raised by family members, and that's where we found the female deceased.”

An emergency alert was issued Monday afternoon for a suspect, Benedict Kaminski, whose body was found later Monday afternoon.

Police said both Sunday deaths are believed to be targeted and domestic in nature.

With files from CTV’s Damien Wood and Michael Franklin