Four years after the disappearance of Port Moody, B.C., resident Trina Hunt, her husband has been charged with indignity to human remains.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced the single criminal charge against Iain Hunt, 52, on Tuesday morning.
“The laying of a charge does not dilute the loss and pain endured by Trina’s family and friends,” said Sgt. Freda Fong, in a statement. “There is still a long road ahead as the community continues to heal from her tragic death.”
Under the Criminal Code, indignity to human remains is defined as either failing to properly bury a body, or interfering with a body in an improper, indecent or undignified way.
Hunt’s cousin, Stephanie Ibbott called the charge “injustice” in an interview with CTV News.
“We’ve spent the last four years fighting for justice and this is the result of it. Four years of investigation and this is the charge approved? It’s not the right charge,” Ibbott said.
“I think I expected to have hope from it and instead it did the opposite. (I’m) feeling pretty negative right now, feeling like this probably sounds like the end of the investigation.”
Ibbott says the community support has been instrumental in helping the family get through the grief of Trina’s passing and the years-long police investigation. She hopes her cousin’s legacy will live on.
“We were so lucky to have her, and I think people have been so lucky to get to know her over the last four years through the videos and information we’ve shared.”
In a statement, Hunt’s brother said the family is “angry and beyond devastated” that there are no further charges in connection with her death.
“We are thankful for the incredible work from IHIT and are shocked that their efforts have only resulted in a charge that carries a maximum of five years in prison,” Brad Ibbott wrote, on social media.
“To Trina, we miss you and love you. You will forever and always be in our hearts.”
IHIT said it will not be providing further details while the case is before the courts.
It was Trina Hunt’s husband who reported her missing on Jan. 18, 2021, triggering a desperate months-long search effort.
That March, a bystander found her body near Hope, south of Silver Creek, approximately 140 kilometres from her home.
The family put up a $50,000 reward for information that would bring her killer to justice the same year.
Police previously arrested Iain Hunt at the couple’s Port Moody home in July 2022, but he was released without charges shortly after. Authorities remained tight-lipped about the incident, declining to comment on whether the husband was considered a suspect as recently as last month.
Online court records indicate he will be appearing in Port Coquitlam court on March 5, and that he is not currently in custody.
