Young man charged with 1st-degree murder in Elisabeth Salm homicide

An 18-year-old man is facing a charge of first-degree murder in last week's death of 59-year-old Elisabeth Salm, a volunteer for the First Church of Christ, Scientist.

Salm was found badly beaten Thursday afternoonin a reading room the church operates at 141C Laurier Ave. W in downtown Ottawa. She died in hospital the following dayand Tyler Hikoalokwas arrested Sunday.

The teen, who turned 18 in January, was previously known to police, according to major crime unit Staff Sgt. Steve Kerr.

He appeared briefly in court Monday morninganda bail hearing wasscheduled for June 5.

Hikoalok's defence lawyer, MichaelSmith, said he's waiting for disclosure from the Crownand that it's too early to tell whether a psychological evaluation will be ordered or a Gladue report will be requested.

The Gladueprinciple states that judges should consider an Indigenous offender's history in sentencing, taking into account personal experience with residential schools, the foster care system, and physical or sexual abuse.

According to a short biography posted on Tr1beMusic Academy's website, Hikoalok("Ty Millz")is from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, who was placed into foster care at age nineand taught himself to make music.

Justin Holness, who runs the academy, said he was upset when he heardHikoalokis alleged to have been involved in Salm's death.

'I'm still shocked'

"I'm still shocked because violence towardwomen, and violence of any sort, especially in this capacity, is unacceptable," Holnesssaid in an interview by phone Monday.

"But the key thing that needs to be highlighted is the importancearound mental health and intergenerational trauma."

Hikoalokdidn't like to talk about his troubles, Holnesssaid.

"I asked him constantly, is everything OK, what's going on, and he never told me any of his challenges.... And so I never knew that there was a deeper problem. I always just knew he was ... in and out of group homes, and so the studio was one place that he felt safe. It was one place that he found a sense of purpose to try and be positive, to do something positive."

Holness last saw Hikoalokon Wednesday, the day before the assault on Salm.

"That was the first time he had been back in the studio for a long time. He actually wasn't involved for a few months, and we never knew why. We knew he was going through things, but like I say he never told us anything," Holnesssaid.

"The only thing was I could smell alcohol, and I asked him, have you been drinking? And he's like, 'Yeah, I've been drinking earlier today.'"

Holness said he urged Hikoalokto get clean and to keep coming to the studio. A lyric Hikoalokwrote that day read, "I need to be in the studio and not in the trap."