A decade later, questions still surround Regina triple murder

The story of a family hoping for a new life in Canada ended in tragedy a decade ago in Regina.

And there are still many questions surrounding the triple murder of the Htoo-Maw family.

Gray Nay Htoo, 31, his wife Maw Maw, 28, and their three-year-old son, Seven June Htoo, were found dead in their home at 323 Oakview Dr., on Aug. 6, 2010.

The family members were Karen refugees who had moved to Saskatchewan from a refugee camp in Thailand.

In 2010, Leng Nawn Thang, a minister at Regina’s New Friends in Christ Church, said the family joined his congregation after arriving in Regina in 2007.

“They said they felt good and it was a good country and free country and they were happy in this country,” Thang said. “(There were) lots of troubles going on (in Burma), (there was) fighting going on and many people lost their homes.”

But he admitted the family was having problems making ends meet.

“Only the husband was working and there’s not enough money to pay and feed their family and pay for the rent,” Thang said.

The three bodies were found after a property manager checked on the townhouse when neighbours were complaining about the odour coming from it.

Then-Police Chief Troy Hagen provided an update to the media a day after the bodies were found.

“This would be the worst incident of multiple homicides in Regina in our history,” Hagen said.

At the time, a neighbour named Wayne reacted to the discovery.

“Uplands is a pretty good area and not too much happens. I’ve been here 14 years and I’ve never seen this happen before. Everyone’s just uneasy about it too,” he said.

At that time, a woman named Mandy explained what she heard prior to the bodies being found.

“I know what fireworks sound like and it wasn’t fireworks. It was very loud. It was close — very close,” Mandy said.

While Mandy said she heard shots, Hagen said the preliminary investigation showed a gun was not involved.

Members of the Burmese community were shocked by the murder. Rev. Mark McKim confirmed the family was a part of the community in 2010.

“I think I’ve experienced a certain degree of fear of what time means,” McKim said at the time.

Multiple police agencies, including the RCMP and FBI, have looked into the case but no charges have been laid in the three murders.

The case has been assigned to the Cold Case Unit, which continues to investigate leads and allocates the resources to maintain the work.

A $50,000 reward remains in place for information that could help with the case.