What Happened to Reena Virk? Inside the 1997 Murder and Its Aftermath, 28 Years Later

What happened to Reena Virk?

Reena Virk was a 14-year-old student from Saanich, Vancouver Island, who was attacked by peers on Nov. 14, 1997, and died eight days later after her body was discovered in the Gorge Waterway. The case shocked Canada and returned to public attention in April 2024 when Hulu released the miniseries Under the Bridge, based on Rebecca Godfrey’s 2005 book.

Background

Reena lived in foster care at the time of her death. Her family were Jehovah’s Witnesses; her father, Manjit Virk, had emigrated from India. Friends and writers described Reena as a teenager who frequently clashed with authority, liked East Coast hip-hop and blue nail polish, and had run away from home on several occasions. She had earlier made — then retracted — an allegation of sexual abuse against her father in order to stay in a group home.

The night of Nov. 14, 1997

On Nov. 14, Reena went to a gathering under the Gorge Waterway bridge in Saanich with a group of teens later dubbed the "Shoreline Six." According to witness statements, Nicole Cook confronted Reena over alleged rumors. The encounter escalated: Cook admitted to burning Reena with a cigarette, and several teens began to beat her. When Reena staggered away, two youths — Kelly Ellard (then 15) and Warren Glowatski (then 16) — followed and continued the attack.

Discovery and investigation

Reena did not return to her foster home that night. Her absence initially did not trigger alarm because of her history of running away, but by the following Monday rumors and witness reports intensified police interest. Her body was recovered on Nov. 22, 1997. A coroner’s report documented multiple blunt-force injuries and a convulsion-type injury consistent with severe trauma.

Investigators found Reena’s black-and-white Adidas jacket in Ellard’s closet with saltwater stains consistent with the Gorge Waterway. Several teenagers later identified Ellard and Glowatski as the principal attackers. Glowatski ultimately confessed to involvement in the killing.

Trials and sentences

Warren Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 and sentenced to life with parole eligibility after seven years. He expressed remorse, participated in restorative justice programs, and apologized to Reena’s parents. Glowatski was granted day parole in 2007 and full parole in 2010.

Kelly Ellard faced a complex legal path: convicted in adult court in 2000, that verdict was overturned on appeal; a second trial ended in a mistrial; a third trial resulted in another conviction. She began serving a sentence in 2005. Ellard eventually acknowledged responsibility during parole hearings. While incarcerated she changed her name to Kerry Sim and had a child. She was granted day parole in November 2017, declined full parole in May 2022 as she said she was "situationally... not ready," and in June 2025 her day parole was revoked after positive drug tests and behaviour the Parole Board described as posing "an undue risk to society."

The other youths present—Nicole Cook, Missy Pleich (also reported as Pleisch), Gail Ooms, Courtney Keith and Nicole Patterson—pleaded guilty to assault charges but denied involvement in the killing itself, saying they left before the attack that led to Reena’s drowning.

Aftermath and legacy

Reena’s parents, Manjit and Suman Virk, became public advocates against bullying. Manjit published Reena: A Father's Story (2008), criticizing aspects of the child-protection and justice systems and describing the family's struggles. Suman Virk died in June 2018 at age 58 after choking while dining; before her death she said that meeting with Glowatski helped her find some closure.

The case remains a painful and influential chapter in Canadian conversations about youth violence, bullying, systemic responses to vulnerable youth, and how the justice system treats adolescent offenders. The renewed attention from Godfrey’s book and the Hulu dramatization has reopened public discussion about prevention, accountability and healing.

"Every time new information came to light, it opened your eyes a little wider and it was shocking," retired Victoria Police Sgt. Rob Dibden said of the investigation.

Sources: reporting by CBC, The Globe and Mail, Vice (Rebecca Godfrey), People, The Vancouver Sun, and documentary coverage including Bloodlust: Under the Bridge. This summary aims to preserve facts while presenting events and outcomes clearly and respectfully.