Funeral for woman found murdered in Sudbury woods

Carol Fournier, 40, whose body was found in a wooded area of Sudbury last week, is being laid to rest in a funeral service in Timmins on Tuesday.

Carol Fournier, 40, was found dead in a wooded area of the Donovan in Sudbury. (Facebook)

Friends have raised nearly $5,800 for her funeral expenses and to support the three children she left behind through an online fundraising campaign.

The investigation into her death is continuing, but police said died of blunt force trauma Nov. 8.

She was seen walking alone on Beatty Street in the city's Donovan area around 12:45 p.m. About two hours later, her body was found west of McNeil Boulevard and north of the railway tracks.

Two days later, police said they were looking for 47-year-old Rick Jones who was wanted for assault and criminal harassment since Oct. 26 and 30, but did not mention he had any connection to Fournier or was a suspect in her death.

The following day, police said Jones' body was found in the same wooded area when officers were searching for evidence. Police said no foul play is suspected in his death.

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Rick Jones, 47, was found deceased on Nov. 11/23 in a wooded area west of McNeil Boulevard. (Supplied)

After consulting with Fournier's family, police confirmed the two had a relationship and that Jones was wanted for intimate partner violence incidents against her.

When Sudbury police were asked if she had a safety plan in place, spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn told CTV News in an email "all individuals are offered information related to safety planning. Yes, this includes Carol Fournier."

Dunn said they can't speak to a specific person or investigation.

"Safety planning is tailored to the needs of each individual taking into account their living situation, family situation, social supports, etc. This could range from being provided with information on the resources available in the community to being connected to resources to being relocated if required," she said.

"There is a significant amount of information available on our website that outlines different facets of safety planning including available resources and an IPV toolkit."

With the recent tragic events involving intimate partner violence locally, CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca continues to look at the issue and what can be done.

• 'It's not as simple as walking away': Crisis worker on why people stay in abusive relationships
• Sudbury declares intimate partner, gender-based violence an epidemic