The boyfriend of a Surrey teenager who plunged 26 storeys to her death on New Year’s Day has been released from custody without charges.
The unnamed 23-year-old had been living with the victim, 19-year-old Maurine Arogie, at the high rise on 100 Avenue where she fatally fell around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
She leaves behind a brother, sister and father in B.C. and a mother in Nigeria.
The young woman’s death is considered suspicious and the Integrated homicide Investigation Team confirmed it is continuing to investigate.
A friend of the deceased who asked not to be identified told CTV News that police had been called to the couple’s apartment before. She described Arogie’s boyfriend as “very aggressive” when drunk.
“I just told Maurine to be careful,” she added.
He is not facing any charges in connection with her death, according to police.
IHIT Sgt. Adam MacIntosh confirmed that officers had attended the apartment in the past “for similar types of investigations,” but would not elaborate.
“When and how often is information we won’t share. It’s part of our current investigation, but we have been here before with respect to these people,” MacIntosh told reporters Wednesday.
Arogie, who also goes by Maurine Rinny on social media, was just starting school at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She was voted student of the month late last year at Guildford Learning Centre.
Her friend described Arogie as a caring person who always put others first, and whose death has deeply affected those close to her.
“We all had goals, we all wanted to go travel one day and live a little bit,” she said. “None of us think she deserved to be gone like that.”
Investigators are asking potential witnesses who haven’t spoken to police to come forward.
Anyone with information call the IHIT tipline at 1-877-551-4448 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Scott Hurst
