Kelsey Ouellette's homicide may be linked to relationship with boyfriend who died months before her: police

Police are investigating the link between the death of homicide victim Kelsey Ouellette and the non-criminal death of her boyfriend.

Ouellette, 31, was found shot dead in a vehicle near Jasper Avenue and 116 Street on Nov. 5, 2022.

"Kelsey was ambushed and shot repeatedly after leaving her residence. This was a cold-blooded and targeted murder of a defenceless victim." Acting Staff Sgt. Jared Buhler told reporters at a Wednesday news conference.

Nicolas (Nic) Chamberland (Credit: Edmonton Police Service)

According to Buhler, her boyfriend, Nicolas (Nic) Chamberland, 34, was found dead at his home in the Carlton area on June 6, 2022.

Investigators are looking at the link between his death and Ouellette's.

"We now believe Kelsey's murder is directly related to significant criminal events associated to Nicolas Chamberland and individuals in his network, which occurred within the context of high level organized crime," Buhler said.

"Specifically, we're talking primarily about drug trafficking."

Buhler declined to share the details surrounding Chamberland's death, calling it "explainable" and occuring "within the context of a much broader circumstance."

Buhler says Ouellette and Chamberland lived together at his Carlton home and separated shortly before his death.

"The complex circumstances of Nicolas Chamberland and Kelsey Ouellette's lives in the months preceding and following his death are now of significant interest to the investigation, and are critical in solving Kelsey's murder," he said.

On Nov. 5, 2022, 31-year-old Kelsey Ouellette, seen in this undated photo, was found dead in a vehicle near Edmonton's Jasper Avenue and 116 Street after gunshots were heard in the community. (Photo provided by police.)

Investigators believe Kelsey's killer was driving a white Toyota Highlander SUV.

It was found burned in the area of 259 Avenue and 18 Street hours after Ouellette's death.

In November 2022, Buhler described the burning of a suspect vehicle a strategy typically associated with gang violence.

Edmonton police are investigating whether a 2016 white Toyota Highlander, found burning near 259 Avenue and 18 Street on Nov. 5, 2022, is the same white Toyota SUV seen near the scene of Kelsey Ouellette's homicide that same day. (Photo provided by police.)

The vehicle was stolen from northwest Calgary in August 2022 and fitted with a licence plate stolen from west Edmonton in October 2022.

The SUV with the stolen plate got a photo radar ticket on Oct. 21, 2022, on Yellowhead Trail westbound at 107 Street.

Anyone with information about the death of Ouellette or about Chamberland is asked to call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.