IHIT identifies woman who was ‘shot to death’ in vehicle in Surrey

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has identified the victim in a Surrey shooting on Dec. 3.

Lisa Ellie Marie Baines, 29, was found “shot to death” in a vehicle in a Newton alley, according to a tweet from IHIT Thursday (Dec. 10).

READ ALSO: Woman, 30, dead after early morning crash, shooting in Surrey, Dec. 3, 2020

On Dec. 3, just after 5:30 a.m., Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision in the alleyway of the 13700-block of 75A Avenue, according to a release from Surrey RCMP on the day of the incident.

Police said the woman was found with “critical” injuries, suffering from gunshot wounds.

Sergeant Frank Jang, of IHIT, said evidence “suggests that this was an isolated incident.”

“We’re aware that there’s been rumours and conjecture in the community about this being, perhaps, a gang-related homicide,” Jang noted. “This morning, I want to put those rumours to rest. I can definitively tell you that this was not gang-related, this was not drug-related.”

He said there is “no reason to believe there is further risk to public safety.”

Jang said investigators have spoken with “many” of Baines’ friends and family, “but we are also aware there may be someone who we have yet to speak with that may have information about her recent activities.”

He added the investigation is “progressing quickly,” and they’re “working toward getting charge approval.”

Baines’ mother, Heidi, released a statement, saying the family was “shocked and saddened” after finding out that she had been “tragically and violently taken from us.”

“She was driving home from dialysis in the early hours of the morning,” Heidi said.

“Her car was found off the road and she had received and eventually succumbed to gunshot-inflicted wounds. That is not how we would like to remember our daughter. She was much more than a victim of a homicide.”

On the day of the shooting, Jang said the woman was the “only occupant inside of that vehicle, the driver of that vehicle, (and) was found in her seat, with a gunshot wound.” He added the vehicle is registered to a “woman in her late 20s.”

Jang said there is a vehicle that investigators “believe is associated to this incident.”

However, he couldn’t give a description of the suspect vehicle.

“That vehicle is obviously crucial for the investigation. It could very well have contained the suspect, the very shooter, responsible for this.”

He said the vehicle could have gone “anywhere.”

“It could have stayed in Surrey. It could have gone into New Westminster. It could have gone to Burnaby, any of the outlying municipalities and communities,” he said. “Burned vehicles we know those have come up a lot recently.

“A burned car investigation in itself isn’t necessarily suspicious, but when it’s closely followed by a shooting or homicide, obviously it’s something that piques our interest.”

READ ALSO: Torched truck found in Abbotsford an hour after killing in Surrey, Dec. 3, 2020

Around 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, a vehicle was found abandoned and on fire in Abbotsford. The fire occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Lefeuvre Road near Myrtle Avenue in the Bradner area of Abbotsford.

However, Jang said Dec. 10 that the burned vehicle was “not associated” to the Surrey homicide.

Heidi Baines’ full statement:

On Thursday December 3, 2020, our family was shocked and saddened to be informed that our beautiful daughter Ellie had been tragically and violently taken from us. She was driving home from dialysis in the early hours of the morning. Her car was found off the road and she had received and eventually succumbed to gunshot-inflicted wounds. That is not how we would like to remember our daughter. She was much more than a victim of a homicide.

Ellie was born in Surrey, B.C. in 1991. Her life from the very beginning was not easy and she spent many years in foster homes in the Fraser Valley; back then her name was Lisa Marie. In 2002, we were blessed to have her come home to her forever family. She in fact chose the name, Ellie.

Ellie became part of our family. She was the second oldest of six children. Her teen years were spent on Vancouver Island in the Cowichan Valley attending Duncan Christian School. She made friends easily. She was your typical strong-willed teen that liked to tug at the reigns. As she was living her teenage years, she became ill and was soon diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome, which is a disease that attacked her kidneys. We spent many months in B.C. Children’s Hospital hoping the disease would go into remission. That never did occur. When she was 21-years-old, she had a kidney transplant and we were hopeful that her luck had changed. Sadly within months, the disease attacked her new kidney and she had to return to dialysis. At the time of her death, Ellie was receiving dialysis three times a week during the night. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, she would check into Surrey Memorial overnight and receive her dialysis.

Our girl was never one to let life keep her down. Throughout all her illness, she managed to receive a mental health worker certificate from Stenberg College. She also successfully completed her Medical Office Assistance Program while working at Granville Toyota. After that, she worked at Royal Columbian Hospital, a couple of doctor’s offices, and Cascadia Metals. Many of the jobs she held were short-term because it was hard to have energy after dialysis. Shortly before Covid hit, she had started quite a resume as an extra on such Vancouver-based films as Riversdale, Super Girl and many others. I am sure if you worked with her you would remember her smile, her wit and her laughter. She was a stunning woman, whether she chose to be blonde, brown, or black-haired.

As much as she enjoyed curling up to watch Netflix, she enjoyed going out and partying with friends; even spending weekends in Whistler and Kelowna. She was known to love a good Bellini, or a Cranberry and Vodka.

Our trips to West Edmonton Mall where we would shop and ride the roller coasters are some of our favourite memories. She was a proud momma to her Shitzu-Terrier cross dog named Kobe, who she would dress up and take out for walks or to restaurants.

This is just a small snapshot of our daughter. If anyone knew her or worked with her and can share any information, even something small, please share it with the police so we can put our girl to rest with some answers.