Human Remains Found Inside Lake Street Apartment – St. Catharines
On Tuesday June 30, 2026, uniform officers with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 1 District (St. Catharines/Thorold) attended an apartment building in the Lake Street and Lakeshore Road area of St. Catharines, for what was reported as a Suspicious Circumstance.
A caller was reporting that they had not seen or heard from one of their tenants for quite some time. Once inside the apartment, uniformed officers discovered human remains.
The investigation was taken over by the 1 District Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) with the assistance of the Forensic Services Unit (FSU) and the Central Fraud Unit. The remains were identified and foul play was ruled out in the cause of death.
Detectives continued their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. On Monday July 6, 2026, as a result of that investigation, 63-year-old Marie FISCHER of St. Catharines was arrested and charged with the following offences.
- Neglect to Perform Duty to a Dead Body
- Indecent Interference with a Dead Body
FISCHER remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing July 6, 2026, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.
Detectives believe there is no risk to public safety and advise that the investigation remains open and ongoing. The identity of the victim is not being released at this time.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service’s 1 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009476.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
NRPS Incident 26-80342