The woman found dead of an apparent homicide in her Vancouver home on Tuesday night has been identified as Melanie Alexis O'Neill, 37, an associate professor in biophysical and biological chemistry at Simon Fraser University.
Police discovered O'Neill's body in her residence, one of three suites of a home in the 100-block of West 13th Avenue, around 10:30 p.m.
A concerned acquaintance had asked police to check on her welfare after not having heard from her lately, said Vancouver police spokesman Const. Lindsey Houghton.
Police would not confirm O'Neill lived at the residence, but a land title search listed her as the unit's registered owner.
The man detained by Richmond RCMP in connection with the homicide was transferred to VPD for questioning and released without charges, said Houghton.
It is not known what the man's relationship was to O'Neill, or how police were first alerted to him.
He is still considered a person of interest, Houghton said.
Dave Kite, who lives two doors down, said a Caucasian woman who appeared to be in her 30s had just moved into the suite, on the main floor of the large triplex, about three weeks ago.
"We didn't know her very well, but we saw her walking around a few times," he said.
Helen Hutton, also a nearby resident, said the incident was shocking.
"It's a little oasis in the middle of the city," she said of the street, where large trees formed a canopy overhead.
"It makes me extremely nervous, but I can't help but feel it's an isolated incident."
The homicide is Vancouver's ninth of 2011.
