Another alleged femicide sparks calls for more resources to stop intimate partner violence

A close friend of Janice Madison, whose husband is accused of murdering her, is remembering her as a kind-hearted person who always prioritized others over herself.

"She was the kind of person that would be a lifelong friend," said Aimee Guest.

According to Windsor police, Madison, 67, was fatally stabbed inside a home on the 1400 block of Southdale Drive, near the intersection of Walker Road and Grand Marais Road East, on Nov. 14.

Her 62-year-old husband, Wellington Holland, has been charged with first-degree murder.

"A friend of mine sent something to me on Messenger and just said, 'Isn't this your friend?' I didn't think it was right. But when I looked into it, unfortunately, it was true," said Guest, adding she last saw Madison six months ago.

"Our kids grew up together. We always had each other's kids over for playdates and sleepovers. That would give me or Janice a little break from being a mom for a little while. We got along great."

According to Shelley Gilbert, co-chair of the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee of Windsor-Essex, this latest incident makes Madison the fifth femicide victim locally since October 2021.

This past June, police found the body of 36-year-old Sahra Bulle in a field. Her estranged husband has been charged with first-degree murder and remains in jail.

One month later, Windsor city council declared intimate partner violence as an epidemic.

For Gilbert, while that declaration was a positive step forward, that did not translate in more resources being allotted to the violence-against-women sector.

"We often find that the intimate partner violence shelter in Windsor-Essex, Hiatus House, is full. So they have to help some women be safe from afar because the beds are full," she said. "We also have no transitional housing for women to go from shelters into safe places and then into permanent housing. So we have a disconnect at times between sectors in our community."

More than 3,200 calls for crisis were received by Hiatus House in 2022.

Gilbert added she would like to see local municipalities dedicate more resources to these types of services.

"How do we get industries and sectors to recognize that we all have a place in addressing this? Even if intimate partner violence is not your core business, you have people in your place of business that may be affected by this," she said.

In a statement to CTV News, Brittney Madison, the youngest of the victim's four children, described her mother as a great person who loved her family, pets and gardening.

She added her mother looked for "the best" in people and always thought "change was possible."

"Unfortunately, she wasn't lucky to get out this last time. She's greatly loved by everyone who knew her," the statement read.

As for Guest, the grief and shock of this sudden loss is too much to bear.

"I'm still in shock that you're gone but you will never be forgotten. I love you," said Guest, speaking directly to her long-time friend. "Your daughters will always remember you and they’ll tell their grandchildren stories about you. You will definitely be missed."