Murder of Reena Virk - Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Posted by: 
The A-Team
N 48° 27.145 W 123° 25.349
10U E 468761 N 5366672
Reena Virk, a 14-year-old girl, was beaten and drowned on November 14, 1997 under the Craigflower Bridge in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada.
Waymark Code: WM16FCW
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 07/20/2022
Views: 3
Reena Virk was the child of immigrants from India. The family converted from Hinduism to Jehovah's Witness, making them "a minority within a minority", which led Virk to be the subject of bullying.
On November 14, 1997, Virk was invited to a "party" near the Craigflower Bridge, which connects View Royal to Saanich across the Gorge Waterway. Some teenagers were drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana under the southern end of the bridge before Virk was swarmed by a group that would be referred to as the "Shoreline Six" (named after the nearby Shoreline Middle School that they attended). Witnesses said one of the girls stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead, and that Virk was then repeatedly hit, punched, and kicked.
After another girl asked the others to stop the beating, Virk walked away. Two members of the original group, Kelly Ellard and Warren Glowatski, followed her and forced her to the north end of the bridge, where they beat her again. The pair dragged Virk to the water and rolled her unconscious body into the water, where she drowned. Her body was found eight days later in another part of the Gorge Waterway.
Warren Paul Glowatski, aged 16 at the time of the crime, was convicted in June 1999 of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Since he was a minor at the time of the murder, he was eligible for parole after seven years. He was denied parole at the first chance in 2004, but would later be granted unescorted temporary absences from prison in 2006 and day parole in 2007. He was released on full parole in June 2010. Glowatski expressed remorse for his involvement in the crime and apologized to Virk's parents.
Kelly Marie Ellard, aged 15 at the time of the crime, was convicted in March 2000 of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. In February 2003, this conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered. This second trial resulted in a mistrial in July 2004 due to a hung jury. A third trial was held in April 2005 and Ellard was again convicted of second-degree murder. Since she was a minor at the time of the murder, she was eligible for parole after seven years. This conviction was again overturned on appeal in September 2008, but the Supreme Court of Canada later upheld the conviction in June 2009. Ellard was granted day parole in 2017. In May 2022, she waived her right to a full parole hearing, saying she didn't feel she was ready to return to society.
Of the six girls involved in the initial beating, three pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, and the three others were convicted of the same offense at trial.
Due to the long period over which the various trials occurred, combined with the severity of the crime and the ages of those involved, the case received widespread coverage in Canada and by some outlets around the world.
Virk's parents, Manjit and Suman, led a public awareness campaign against bullying and teenage violence. They successfully pushed the BC government to enact anti-bullying programs in schools, and spoke at many public meetings. The Virks were honoured with the Anthony J. Hulme Award of Distinction for their efforts.
Date of crime: 11/14/1997
Public access allowed: yes
Fee required: no
Web site: [Web Link]
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