The remains of Christine Wood were found buried in a ditch in the Rural Municipality of Springfield on Thursday.

Christine Wood, 21, disappeared on August 19, 2016 after leaving her downtown Winnipeg hotel to go out for the evening. She had come to the city with her family from Oxford House for a medical appointment.

In April, police arrested and charged Brett Ronald Overby with second-degree murder.

RCMP said they received a call about the remains at 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning. The remains were found in a ditch on Spruce Road, just south of Highway 15.

An autopsy confirmed the remains were those of Wood.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson, who is a relative of the family, said she spoke to mother Melinda Friday night.

“She naturally has very mixed emotions,” said North Wilson at a news conference Saturday. “Now that we’ve come to this reality, they’re just thankful and grateful. They’ll have a place to take her home to.”

Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth expressed condolences to Wood’s parents. “To George and Melinda, I can’t begin to imagine your pain. I promise you, Christine will be returned home to you as soon as possible,” he said.

Lead investigator Sgt. John O’Donovan said the remains were found after a local landowner checking crops noticed there was some debris that didn’t belong there.

O’Donovan said Overby did not help them find the remains.

Police know how Wood died, but aren’t releasing the cause of death at this time, O’Donovan said.

Family members gather to lay flowers at the spot where Christine Wood's body was found. @ctvwinnipeg #Winnipeg #wpg pic.twitter.com/sVOowSaXrB — Sarolta Saskiw (@SaroltaCTV) June 3, 2017

Overby, who is 30, was arrested March 21 after police searched a home in the 300 block of Burrows Avenue.

Officers ended up at that home as a result of information from a number of warrants and production orders on electronic devices Wood used prior to her death.

At the time, Overby was charged with an unrelated offence. However, the Forensic Identification Unit stayed at the home for several days.

On April 7, the Crown Attorney authorized a second degree murder charge against Overby.

The discovery of Wood’s remains comes after the conclusion of the first public hearings in the missing and murdered indigenous women inquiry wrapped up in Whitehorse. North Wilson said Wood’s case serves as a reminder that the problem continues.

“This national tragedy keeps happening and we need to find a way to stop this murder and taking indigenous women and girls away from this country,” she said.

O’Donovan said the discovery of Wood’s remains doesn’t change the charges against Overby. Police have no other suspects in the case, but O’Donovan said they will continue their investigation right up until the court case begins.