A 44-year-old London man has been charged with second-degree murder in the suspicious death of a woman over the weekend.
London police said they were called around 12 a.m. on Saturday to the area of Wharncliffe Road and Western Road in connection to a medical emergency.
When officers arrived they found a 62 year-old woman with life-threatening injuries. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The woman has since been identified as Cheryl Lynn Sheldon of London.
Police initially classified the death as "suspicious". Officers were posted outside an apartment at 345 Wharncliffe Rd. N. and were seen canvassing the area.
On Sunday night, police announced George Kenneth Curtis, 44, of London was charged with second-degree murder in Sheldon's death. He remains in police custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Police said the pair were known to each other.
A statement “with respect to intimate partner violence and femicide" was also issued with the announcement of the murder charge.
"Intimate partner violence persists as a threat to the safety and wellbeing of our community. Ninety-five municipalities across Ontario, including the City of London, have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic," the statement read. It also included a link to a list of local agencies that provide specialized supports for women experiencing gender-based violence.
The police major crime section is continuing its investigation into the death and remained on scene as of Sunday night.
This was the second murder police responded to this weekend. Around 10 p.m. on Friday, police were called to a public housing complex at 1057 Southdale Rd. E. where they found an 18-year-old man with life-threatening injuries. He was taken to hospital where he later died. Police have not publicly identified the man.
Two 17-year-olds, who cannot be named because of their age, have been charged with second degree murder in the teen's death.
Anyone with information about either death is asked to call police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Before this weekend, there had only been one homicide in the city this year.