New details revealed in year-old case of alleged indignity to human body

More than a year after a missing Saint John woman's body was discovered in the north end, new details about the case have emerged through court documents.

The body of Courtney Dawn MacKenzie, 27, was found in a "closet/storage area" on the third floor of 40 Victoria St., on May 11, 2021, the documents say.

And during the seven days before the body was found, someone "did improperly interfere" with it.

MacKenzie, the mother of a young son, was reported missing on May 8. 

The last update from police on the investigation was issued nearly 11 months ago. At that time, they said they were continuing to investigate "the suspicious circumstances" of her death.

"Currently, the major crime unit is investigating indignity to a dead human body. Homicide has not been ruled out," a release said.

An autopsy was conducted, but the cause of MacKenzie's death was never released.

"The investigation continues to evolve as investigators are diligently interviewing witnesses, reviewing physical and electronic records, as well as collecting and analyzing forensic evidence," the Saint John Police Force said.

Court documents show police discovered Terrance Joseph (TJ) Keleher was the last person confirmed to have been in contact with MacKenzie, on May 4.

He lived in Apt. 3 of the building where MacKenzie's body was found, according to the court documents. Lawrence Keleher and Ashley Stevens also lived in that apartment. 

No charges have been laid. The court documents do not identify anyone as a suspect or indicate whether police have any suspects.

The investigation is still going on, lead investigator Const. Neal Fowler told the Court of Queen's Bench in an affidavit, dated May 31, 2022.

Fowler filed the affidavit in support of a Crown application requesting a judge allow police to hold onto items they seized during searches for another year.

Police seized about 200 items through four search warrants, two warrants to obtain bodily substances for forensic DNA analysis and a seizure without warrant, the documents show.