“She was always bubbly, she had the biggest smile, beautiful smile, and when she walked into a room she kind of lit up the room,” said Barb Sevigny, of her sister Mary Ann Birmingham, pictured here. (Photo courtesy of Barb Sevigny)
Mary Ann Birmingham’s family lauds news of murder charge, braces for long court process
Jopey Atsiqtaq charged with second-degree murder of 15-year-old killed in May 1986 in Iqaluit
It was a moment Elisapee Sheutiapik and Barb Sevigny have wanted to see for 38 years — an arrest in the death of their teenaged sister, Mary Ann Birmingham.
“I’m kind of excited, but then bummed because we’re realizing it’s going to be a long process,” Sheutiapik said in an interview.
“The process has started, but it’s going to be a lengthy one, potentially.”
Jopey Atsiqtaq appeared in an Iqaluit courtroom Wednesday to face a second-degree murder charge in the death of the 15-year-old, who was killed in her home on May 28, 1986.
It’s the second time Atsiqtaq has been charged with the murder of Birmingham. The original charge never made it to trial, as a territorial judge didn’t find enough evidence to proceed after a preliminary inquiry.
The case went cold until this week, when news broke of a new charge against Atsiqtaq. More than 50 family members and supporters of Birmingham’s family packed into the courtroom for his appearance.
In this 2016 file photo, Barbara Sevigny, left, and her mother Sarah Birmingham, hold a photo of their siblings Mary Ann Birmingham and Lyta Birmingham. (File photo by Jim Bell)
More than 2,000 kilometres south, Sheutiapik and Sevigny watched the proceedings via video conference with family members from a home in Ottawa.
Sheutiapik, who is a former Iqaluit mayor and MLA, said she could probably “write a book” about her family’s 38-year wait for justice.
Part of the sadness, Sevigny said, comes from the fact that family members, including her mother Sarah Birmingham, were not alive to see the arrest.
“We’re sad that our mother was not able to be here, but we’re here standing together as sisters,” she said.
Even with all the heavy emotions, Sevigny laughed while remembering her childhood with her sister Mary Ann.
Birmingham was funny, smart and talented, Sevigny said. She won poetry and art contests while in elementary school, and loved to dance and play dress-up.
“She was always bubbly, she had the biggest smile, beautiful smile, and when she walked into a room she kind of lit up the room,” Sevigny said.
“There were so many good memories… She loved to have fun.”
The two sisters thanked everyone who came to court to support them.
They said they are accessing the Department of Justice’s victim services and encourage others to do the same if they need to as the case goes through the courts.
Mary Ann Birmingham’s grave in Iqaluit’s old cemetery is decorated with flowers left there by her sister, Barb Sevigny, last month. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Birmingham’s death had an impact not only on them but other family members, community members and first responders, Sevigny said.
“There’s so many people that were impacted because it was such a small community back then,” she said.
“She was a very outstanding young girl. It’s hard to not forget that she was taken at a very young age.”
Atsiqtaq’s next court date is Oct. 29.
Nunavut RCMP released a statement Thursday afternoon.
It said Atsiqtaq was arrested Tuesday in Ottawa on a Canada-wide warrant with the assistance of the Ottawa Police Service.
Atsiqtaq was on parole when he was arrested. He was previously convicted in the grisly 1986 murders in Iqaluit of Pootoogoo Eyesiak, 21, and his mother, Oolayou Eyesiak, 51.
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