Coquitlam murder victim's brother speaks out

Coquitlam, B.C. -

Before she was the victim of homicide, Stephanie Forster was an award-winning entrepreneur, a volunteer and a big sister.

"She was a very sweet human being who always put others ahead of herself," said her brother Tyson Forster.

Late at night on Dec. 8, shots rang out near the intersection of Turner Avenue and Lambert Way in Coquitlam.

When police arrived, they found Forster slumped in a car, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Despite the efforts of first responders, the 39-year-old did not survive.

A man who police say shot and killed himself during a traffic stop in Surrey two days later was considered a suspect in the case, according to police. They also say he had once been married to Forster.

Tyson Forster said that man was Gianluigi Derossi.

"I won't let him consume my body, my mind or my soul. So, I wholeheartedly forgive him and I let him go," Forster said. "If I don't, that will do an injustice to me and I will harbour that and it will hurt even more."

In Coquitlam, RCMP teamed up with Victim Services and other organizations for an open house to talk with community members about safety in the wake of Forster's murder.

"When shots are heard or screams are heard in the neighbourhood, that can be a very scary thing," said area resident Sonja Saarneva, who attended the open house.

"It affects all of us. Not just the people who this happened to ... but also the neighbours, the extended family and us as a society. We start perceiving our society as an unsafe place to be."

Tyson Forster said he will try to focus on the light his sister brought to those who knew her.

"She will be missed, but at the same time, she will live in the recognition of our memory," he said.

The Independent Investigations Office is looking into the death of the man during the Surrey traffic stop while the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is responsible for the case of Forster's murder.