Police have charged the estranged husband of a woman from Newfoundland害羞草研究所檚 Great Northern Peninsula with first-degree murder in a case that stretches back seven years.

Jennifer Hillier-Penney disappeared on Nov. 30, 2016, in St. Anthony, N.L., and the RCMP said Saturday they are still searching for her remains.

However, RCMP Insp. Tracy Edwards said that investigators have collected enough evidence to lay charges against Dean Penney, in what she alleged to be a case of gender-based violence.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 certainly difficult news to learn that Jennifer害羞草研究所檚 estranged husband is charged with her murder,害羞草研究所� the inspector said. 害羞草研究所淪adly, our investigation determined that Jennifer害羞草研究所檚 murder is yet another death due to intimate partner violence in our province.害羞草研究所�

The report into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia concluded earlier this year that gender-based, intimate partner and family violence is an 害羞草研究所渆pidemic害羞草研究所� in Canada, and it called for improved funding of agencies devoted to intervention and prevention.

害羞草研究所淲e acknowledge that seven years is a very long time to go without answers,害羞草研究所� Edwards said during the news conference in St. John害羞草研究所檚. 害羞草研究所淭hese investigations take time, cannot be rushed and must be pursued with diligence and commitment to investigative excellence.害羞草研究所�

She told reporters that the 50-year-old accused was arrested in Deer Lake, N.L., on Friday in the middle of the day. He was expected to make a brief appearance in provincial court Saturday, with further trial dates to be set for Corner Brook provincial court, she said.

Jennifer害羞草研究所檚 brother, Glen Hillier, said his younger sister had left work at a local hospital on the evening of her disappearance. She was staying at her estranged husband害羞草研究所檚 home to be with her younger daughter, while Dean Penney was away duck hunting at his cabin, Hillier said.

He said his 38-year-old sister had separated from Penney, and she usually lived with her father in the nearby town of Saint Lunaire-Griquet.

Hillier-Penney害羞草研究所檚 two daughters and six siblings have waited a long time to hear the news of the charges, he said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 happy someone has been charged 害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 been hard to be patient,害羞草研究所� Hillier said in a telephone interview.

害羞草研究所淲ith Jennifer missing, we didn害羞草研究所檛 have anything. We didn害羞草研究所檛 know where she was, what happened,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a roller coaster of emotions. One day I害羞草研究所檇 be driving somewhere and I害羞草研究所檇 break down and cry, and my girlfriend would say, 害羞草研究所榃hat害羞草研究所檚 wrong?害羞草研究所� and I害羞草研究所檇 say, 害羞草研究所楯ennifer just crossed my mind.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The 49-year-old said his greatest hope is that police will find his sister害羞草研究所檚 body.

害羞草研究所淭hat would be the best Christmas gift I ever received. Without her body, we don害羞草研究所檛 have closure,害羞草研究所� he said.

Michael Tutton in Halifax, The Canadian Press