'Say you did it': Family of Christmas murder victim pleads for suspect to come forward

Family and friends of Tyler Evan Smoke came together Thursday night near the site where his body was found Christmas Day to drum and share memories of the 26-year-old, while issuing a plea for anyone with information on his death to come forward. 

"Just come out, find the courage to just to come out and say you did it," said Orville Pashe, Smoke's uncle, who was his legal guardian as a youth.

Smoke died Christmas Day, after he was found badly injured in a back alley between Victor Street and Toronto Street.

Smoke was a "good kid" who liked to joke around and play tricks on his family, Pashe said. 

"He was just just a normal kid, going to school and stuff … keeping me on my toes when he was younger," Pashe said.

One time, Smoke found a cowboy hat at a second-hand store, and insisted on being called cowboy from then on, Pashe said.

"We would call him by his name and he wouldn't listen. Then we'd say 'Cowboy' … and then that's how he got his second little nickname there for a while when he was growing up."

Pashe said he hadn't had much contact with his nephew in about a year, and didn't know what he doing around the time of his death. He heard that he had spent some time incarcerated.

"You know it's tragic that it just came this way," he said.

"We couldn't say goodbye, because he was just taken."

Cheryl Paul, Pashe's partner, said she hopes someone will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest.

"Everybody needs justice. I don't know how someone could go about their day knowing they took a life," she said.

"He was young and never should have been taken like that."

Smoke is the 22nd victim of homicide in Winnipeg this calendar year.

A police spokesperson said Thursday they are not certain where Smoke was or what he was doing prior to his killing and are urging anyone with information about him to come forward.

Homicide detectives may be reached at 204-986-6508 and Crimestoppers fields anonymous tips at 204-786-8477.