Murder of Reena Virk
Encyclopedia
Reena Virk was a resident of Saanich, British Columbia
, Canada. Her status as a bullying and murder
victim attracted substantial media attention in Canada.
Virk was first swarmed by eight teenagers (seven girls and one boy). The names of six of the girls involved in the first beating, known collectively as "the Shoreline Six," have not all been released. Following the first beating the boy, Warren Glowatski, and Kelly Ellard murdered Virk. Glowatski was given a life sentence after being convicted of second-degree murder. Ellard was tried three times. The verdict of her third trial, a conviction, was set aside. The verdict was appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada
which ruled not to hold a fourth trial in an 8-1 decision, upholding the conviction and sentence.
The Globe and Mail
commented at the time that her case had been "elevated into a national tragedy." Canadian sociologists
have described the case as a watershed moment for a "moral panic
" over girl violence by the Canadian public in the late 1990s.
. An article in Saturday Night
described her immediate family as "a minority within a minority," as they were of the Jehovah's Witness religion in the local South Asia
n community of 3,000 which was predominantly Sikh
.
Virk has been described as a girl who was desperate for acceptance amongst her peers, but was taunted and/or ostracized by these girls whose subculture was influenced by Los Angeles street gangs.
.
While at the bridge, it is claimed that teenagers drank alcohol
and smoked marijuana. Virk was subsequently swarmed by a group later called the Shoreline Six. Witnesses said that one of the girls stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead, and that while seven or eight others stood by and watched, Virk was repeatedly hit, punched and kicked. She was found to have several cigarette burns on her skin, and apparently attempts were made to set her hair on fire. This first beating ended when one of the girls told the others to stop.
Virk managed to walk away, but was followed by two members of the original group, Ellard and Glowatski. The pair dragged Virk to the other side of the bridge, made her remove her shoes and jacket, and beat her a second time. It is believed that Ellard forced Virk's head under the water and held it there with her foot until Virk stopped struggling.
Despite an alleged pact amongst the people involved not to "rat each other out," by the following Monday, rumors of the alleged murder spread throughout Shoreline Secondary School, where Virk was a student. Several uninvolved students and teachers heard the rumors, but no one came forward to report it to the police. The rumors were confirmed eight days later, on November 22, 1997, when police using a helicopter found Virk's partially clothed body washed ashore at the Gorge Inlet, a major waterway on Vancouver Island. Media sources indicated that Cst Chris Horsley of the Saanich Police was the officer who located Virk's body.
The coroner ruled the death was by drowning. However, an autopsy later revealed that Virk had sustained significant injury, and that the head injuries were severe enough to have killed her if she had not been drowned. Virk was 14 years old.
. He was convicted in Virk's murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Glowatski and his parents moved around frequently prior to their separation in 1996; he lived in Estevan and Regina, Saskatchewan
, and Castlegar, British Columbia
.
In 1996, Glowatski and his father moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia
on Vancouver Island
. By 1997 they had settled in a trailer home near the southern tip of the Island in Saanich
.
The following year Glowatski's father married a woman he met in Las Vegas, Nevada
. Warren Glowatski decided to remain in Saanich, living alone in the trailer and supported by money sent by his father.
On the night of Virk's murder, for unknown reasons, Glowatski involved himself in the fight and twice kicked the victim in the head. When the beating ended, Glowatski and Kelly Ellard followed Virk. According to Glowatski, Ellard smashed Virk's face into a tree knocking her out. With Glowatski's help Ellard dragged Virk into the water where Ellard drowned her.
In June 1999, Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder and given a life sentence. Because he was 16 at the time of the murder, he was eligible for parole after serving seven years. In November 2004, he was denied his first chance at day parole.
The Virks did not contest the parole, because Glowatski expressed remorse and responsibility for his part of the murder. In July 2006, he was granted unescorted temporary absences from jail. By December 2006, Glowatski was eligible to apply for day parole again http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/07/19/1692693-cp.html, which he was granted in June 2007.
During his incarceration, Glowatski discovered that he is Metis
. This played a large role in parole hearings as he asked the parole board to incorporate his elders into the process and various healing circles and other forms of restorative justice were used bringing Glowatski and Virk's parents together. In receiving day parole he proceeded to hug every member of the parole board and those present, including the Virks.
Warren Glowatski was released on full parole in June 2010. http://www.theprovince.com/business/fp/teen+killer+consult+with+directors+movie+about+Reena+Virk+death/3202375/story.html
Ellard was initially convicted in March 2000 for second-degree murder in Virk's death. In February 2003, this conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered. The second trial ended in a mistrial (as the result of a hung jury) in July 2004. A third trial was ordered and Ellard was convicted again of second-degree murder in April 2005 and given an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for seven years.
The Supreme Court ruled that her conviction stands because the error by the original trial judge was "harmless".
, details some of the motives that may have led to Virk's death. Two of the girls convicted in the initial beating allege that Virk stole a phone book from Nicole Cook and started calling Cook's friends and spreading rumors about her. Cook stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead during the attack. Another girl, M.G.P, was allegedly angry with Virk for stealing her boyfriend. Virk once lived with the two girls in a youth group home. It is suggested she may have done those things in order to assert herself as "tough."
The book also reveals that Virk was initially considered a runaway when her mother first reported her missing to the Saanich Police Department, the police agency in which the Virks resided. The book "Under the Bridge" incorrectly documented the Missing Persons report as being made to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Two Russian sisters, who lived in the youth group home, were prompted to call the police upon hearing that Virk was most likely dead.
, which is currently being developed into a feature film, and partly inspired a monologue
play, The Shape of a Girl (2001), by Joan MacLeod. and The Beckoners by Carrie Mac. The film rights for the book Under the Bridge have been purchased by Type A Productions, a film production company, for adaptation into a movie.
The murder of Reena Virk was also the subject of a thesis published in a book edited by Christine Alder and Anne Worrell titled "Girls' Violence; Myths and Realities. The Author of the thesis, "Racism, 'Girl Violence' and the Murder of Reena Virk", Sheila Batacharya, discusses the murder of Reena Virk from feminist perspective and looks at why the argument from media and police that the murder was not racially motivated may not have been entirely accurate. Batacharya also argues that the narrative of 'girl violence' which academics policy makers and journalists have asserted is evidenced by Virk's murder, obscures other investigations and explanations surrounding this murder. Reena’s father, Mr. Manjit Virk, has written a book about the murder of his daughter: Reena: A Father’s Story (2008), which is highly critical of the B.C. Ministry of Children and Families and the B.C. justice system; Reena was murdered under the voluntary care of the Ministry, yet no apology was given or responsibility taken.
In December 2010, students from Walkerville High School in Windsor, Ontario performed a play based on the death of Reena Virk for members of the community, as well as the Virk parents.
Saanich, British Columbia
The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
, Canada. Her status as a bullying and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
victim attracted substantial media attention in Canada.
Virk was first swarmed by eight teenagers (seven girls and one boy). The names of six of the girls involved in the first beating, known collectively as "the Shoreline Six," have not all been released. Following the first beating the boy, Warren Glowatski, and Kelly Ellard murdered Virk. Glowatski was given a life sentence after being convicted of second-degree murder. Ellard was tried three times. The verdict of her third trial, a conviction, was set aside. The verdict was appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
which ruled not to hold a fourth trial in an 8-1 decision, upholding the conviction and sentence.
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
commented at the time that her case had been "elevated into a national tragedy." Canadian sociologists
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
have described the case as a watershed moment for a "moral panic
Moral panic
A moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order. According to Stanley Cohen, author of Folk Devils and Moral Panics and credited creator of the term, a moral panic occurs when "[a] condition, episode, person or group of...
" over girl violence by the Canadian public in the late 1990s.
Reena Virk
Virk came from a large extended family who had emigrated from IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. An article in Saturday Night
Saturday Night (magazine)
Saturday Night was a Canadian general interest magazine. It was founded in Toronto, Ontario in 1887.The publication was first established as a weekly broadsheet newspaper about public affairs and the arts, which was later expanded into a general interest magazine. The editor, Edmund E. Sheppard,...
described her immediate family as "a minority within a minority," as they were of the Jehovah's Witness religion in the local South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n community of 3,000 which was predominantly Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
.
Virk has been described as a girl who was desperate for acceptance amongst her peers, but was taunted and/or ostracized by these girls whose subculture was influenced by Los Angeles street gangs.
The murder
On the evening of Friday November 14, 1997, Reena Virk was invited to a "party" by her friend near the Craigflower Bridge, west of the city of Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
While at the bridge, it is claimed that teenagers drank alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and smoked marijuana. Virk was subsequently swarmed by a group later called the Shoreline Six. Witnesses said that one of the girls stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead, and that while seven or eight others stood by and watched, Virk was repeatedly hit, punched and kicked. She was found to have several cigarette burns on her skin, and apparently attempts were made to set her hair on fire. This first beating ended when one of the girls told the others to stop.
Virk managed to walk away, but was followed by two members of the original group, Ellard and Glowatski. The pair dragged Virk to the other side of the bridge, made her remove her shoes and jacket, and beat her a second time. It is believed that Ellard forced Virk's head under the water and held it there with her foot until Virk stopped struggling.
Despite an alleged pact amongst the people involved not to "rat each other out," by the following Monday, rumors of the alleged murder spread throughout Shoreline Secondary School, where Virk was a student. Several uninvolved students and teachers heard the rumors, but no one came forward to report it to the police. The rumors were confirmed eight days later, on November 22, 1997, when police using a helicopter found Virk's partially clothed body washed ashore at the Gorge Inlet, a major waterway on Vancouver Island. Media sources indicated that Cst Chris Horsley of the Saanich Police was the officer who located Virk's body.
The coroner ruled the death was by drowning. However, an autopsy later revealed that Virk had sustained significant injury, and that the head injuries were severe enough to have killed her if she had not been drowned. Virk was 14 years old.
Perpetrators
The six female perpetrators are referred to in court documents as N.C. , N.P., M.G.P. Name Missie, C.A.K., G.O. , and K.M.E. N.C. is known to be Nicole Cook who has admitted involvement. Kelly Ellard is referred to in some documents as K.M.E.Warren Paul Glowatski
Warren Glowatski was born April 26, 1981 in Medicine Hat, AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. He was convicted in Virk's murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Glowatski and his parents moved around frequently prior to their separation in 1996; he lived in Estevan and Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, and Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar is the second largest city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism...
.
In 1996, Glowatski and his father moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. By 1997 they had settled in a trailer home near the southern tip of the Island in Saanich
Saanich, British Columbia
The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
.
The following year Glowatski's father married a woman he met in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Warren Glowatski decided to remain in Saanich, living alone in the trailer and supported by money sent by his father.
On the night of Virk's murder, for unknown reasons, Glowatski involved himself in the fight and twice kicked the victim in the head. When the beating ended, Glowatski and Kelly Ellard followed Virk. According to Glowatski, Ellard smashed Virk's face into a tree knocking her out. With Glowatski's help Ellard dragged Virk into the water where Ellard drowned her.
In June 1999, Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder and given a life sentence. Because he was 16 at the time of the murder, he was eligible for parole after serving seven years. In November 2004, he was denied his first chance at day parole.
The Virks did not contest the parole, because Glowatski expressed remorse and responsibility for his part of the murder. In July 2006, he was granted unescorted temporary absences from jail. By December 2006, Glowatski was eligible to apply for day parole again http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/07/19/1692693-cp.html, which he was granted in June 2007.
During his incarceration, Glowatski discovered that he is Metis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
. This played a large role in parole hearings as he asked the parole board to incorporate his elders into the process and various healing circles and other forms of restorative justice were used bringing Glowatski and Virk's parents together. In receiving day parole he proceeded to hug every member of the parole board and those present, including the Virks.
Warren Glowatski was released on full parole in June 2010. http://www.theprovince.com/business/fp/teen+killer+consult+with+directors+movie+about+Reena+Virk+death/3202375/story.html
Kelly Marie Ellard
Kelly Ellard, born 1982, was 15 years old when she and Warren Glowatski assaulted and drowned Virk. Ellard has stood trial three times for the murder, and been convicted twice. On June 12, 2009, the Globe and Mail reported that the Supreme Court of Canada had overturned the judicial ruling of the BC Court of Appeals in an 8-1 ruling. Ellard's third trial was judged to be fairly executed.Ellard was initially convicted in March 2000 for second-degree murder in Virk's death. In February 2003, this conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered. The second trial ended in a mistrial (as the result of a hung jury) in July 2004. A third trial was ordered and Ellard was convicted again of second-degree murder in April 2005 and given an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for seven years.
The Supreme Court ruled that her conviction stands because the error by the original trial judge was "harmless".
Nicole Cook
Nicole Cook, born 1983, lived in a group home at the time. On MSNBC's documentary "Bloodlust Under the Bridge", Cook spoke about how she took a lit cigarette and put it out on Reena Virk's face, initializing the mayhem that followed. Nicole Cook further explained how she repeatedly punched and kicked Virk as she was being pummeled by the other assailants. At the end of the MSNBC interview, Nicole Cook then lambasted the accusation that she had anything to do with Reena Virk's actual murder because Ellard was the participant charged for the murder. Veteran Dateline reporter Keith Morrison then asked, "Would the murder have ever happened if you hadn't started the fight by burning her face with your cigarette?" and Cook replied, "I don't know. Maybe."Possible motives
The best-selling book about the case, Under the Bridge by Rebecca GodfreyRebecca Godfrey
Rebecca Godfrey is a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a writing mentor with the Creative Nonfiction mentoring program.She was born in Toronto, Ontario, to writers Dave Godfrey and Ellen Godfrey. As a child her family relocated to Victoria, British Columbia...
, details some of the motives that may have led to Virk's death. Two of the girls convicted in the initial beating allege that Virk stole a phone book from Nicole Cook and started calling Cook's friends and spreading rumors about her. Cook stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead during the attack. Another girl, M.G.P, was allegedly angry with Virk for stealing her boyfriend. Virk once lived with the two girls in a youth group home. It is suggested she may have done those things in order to assert herself as "tough."
The book also reveals that Virk was initially considered a runaway when her mother first reported her missing to the Saanich Police Department, the police agency in which the Virks resided. The book "Under the Bridge" incorrectly documented the Missing Persons report as being made to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Two Russian sisters, who lived in the youth group home, were prompted to call the police upon hearing that Virk was most likely dead.
Timeline
- February 9, 1998, three teenage girls plead guilty to assaultAssaultIn law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
causing bodily harm for their roles in the attack
- February 13, 1998, three more girls are convicted of assault causing bodily harm
- Between April and May 1998, six teenage girls are sentenced for their roles in the beating of Virk. Sentences range from 60-day conditional sentenceConditional sentence (Canada)A conditional sentence is a non-custodial punishment for crime in Canada.-Description:Conditional refers to rules the offender must follow in order to remain out of prison, which are similar to when one is on parole. Conditional sentences should not apply in certain cases, such as the infamous case...
s to one year in jail
- June 1999, Warren Glowatski, the only male involved in the crime, is convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for seven years
- March 9, 2000, Kelly Ellard is convicted of second-degree murder in adult court, where she is sentenced to life in prison with no chance of full parole for five years
- November 15, 2000, 3 years and 1 day after the murder of Reena Virk, her parents, Manjit and Suman Virk, sue the teenagers who took part in the beating, the BC government, and several other parties
- February 4, 2003, the BC Court of Appeal announces that due to improprieties in the way Ellard was questioned during her first trial, a new trial would be ordered It is impermissible for the crown to ask the accused why witnesses would lie about the accused.
- March 4, 2004, while awaiting her second trial in the Virk murder, Ellard is charged in an unrelated assault and beating of a 58 year old Vancouver, BC woman. Because of the bail violation, Ellard's bail is revoked and she is taken back into custody
- June 14, 2004, Ellard's second murder trial begins
- Between June 16 and June 22, several witnesses, including Glowatski, testify that Ellard had admitted to killing Virk, had bragged about "finishing [Virk] off," and had conducted tours of the murder scene
- July 6, Ellard admits to taking part in the initial beating, but only for self-defenseSelf-defenseSelf-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
. Throughout the trial, Ellard is given to sarcasm or throwing tantrums in the witness boxWitness boxA witness box is part of a courtroom. It is the section of the room set aside for witnesses to stand or sit in while giving their testimony or presenting evidence. In U.S. English, it is known as the witness stand or merely the stand....
while denying her part in the crime. In one infamous instance during the second trial, Ellard says to the proscecutor "I'm obviously going to be convicted. My life is over. You got what you wanted. I'm going to be convicted"
- July 18, 2004, a mistrial is declared in Ellard's second trial after the jury declares it is deadlocked 11-1
- February 21, 2005, Kelly Ellard's third trial opens
- April 12, 2005, Ellard is found guiltGuiltGuilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
y of second degree murder. She is given an automatic life sentence with no parole for at least 7 years
- July 20, 2006, after serving nearly nine years of a life sentence, Warren Glowatski is granted unescorted temporary passes by the National Parole Board, moving him a step closer to becoming part of society. The Virk family supports the decision.
- August 9, 2006, Ellard appeals her conviction, asking for a fourth trial or an acquittal. Crown has the option to appeal, hold a fourth trail or abandon prosecution.
- April, 2009, Ellard's appeal goes before the Supreme Court of Canada.
- June 12, 2009, The Supreme Court of Canada reinstates the second-degree murder conviction against Kelly Ellard, putting an end to a legal case that spanned more than a decade.
- June 23, 2010 Warren Glowatski is released on parole.
The case in popular culture
The murder case has been the subject of an award-winning and bestselling book, Under the Bridge (2005) by Rebecca GodfreyRebecca Godfrey
Rebecca Godfrey is a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a writing mentor with the Creative Nonfiction mentoring program.She was born in Toronto, Ontario, to writers Dave Godfrey and Ellen Godfrey. As a child her family relocated to Victoria, British Columbia...
, which is currently being developed into a feature film, and partly inspired a monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
play, The Shape of a Girl (2001), by Joan MacLeod. and The Beckoners by Carrie Mac. The film rights for the book Under the Bridge have been purchased by Type A Productions, a film production company, for adaptation into a movie.
The murder of Reena Virk was also the subject of a thesis published in a book edited by Christine Alder and Anne Worrell titled "Girls' Violence; Myths and Realities. The Author of the thesis, "Racism, 'Girl Violence' and the Murder of Reena Virk", Sheila Batacharya, discusses the murder of Reena Virk from feminist perspective and looks at why the argument from media and police that the murder was not racially motivated may not have been entirely accurate. Batacharya also argues that the narrative of 'girl violence' which academics policy makers and journalists have asserted is evidenced by Virk's murder, obscures other investigations and explanations surrounding this murder. Reena’s father, Mr. Manjit Virk, has written a book about the murder of his daughter: Reena: A Father’s Story (2008), which is highly critical of the B.C. Ministry of Children and Families and the B.C. justice system; Reena was murdered under the voluntary care of the Ministry, yet no apology was given or responsibility taken.
In December 2010, students from Walkerville High School in Windsor, Ontario performed a play based on the death of Reena Virk for members of the community, as well as the Virk parents.
External links
- News about verdict from the third trial (Defunct prior to 1/10)
- Murder of Reena Virk Timeline/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
- C News Law and Order Reena Virk news archive
- A Toronto-based South Asian civil rights website and their perspective on the Reena Virk's murder and Kelly Ellard's trial
- Article about the Virk murder,and addresses the issue of girl on girl violence
- Canadian Government Resource on aggressive girls
- One article on the first trial
- Racism. --Girl Violence" and the Murder of Reena Virk, Master of Arts Degree, 2000 Sheila Batacharya