Hay River (Oct 01/03) - RCMP in Hay River are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found Monday in Westbank Apartments.

"We're investigating it as a suspicious death," Sgt. Don Fisher said Tuesday.

Police have not identified the woman or the cause of death. The top floor of the three-story building was still under police guard Tuesday.

According to an RCMP news release, they found the body after a tip about a "suspicious occurrence" at the building at about 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Fisher declined to provide any further details. It is not known if the dead woman was a resident of the apartment block.

News of the death upset residents of the apartment. "It's frightening," a woman said as she unloaded groceries from her vehicle Tuesday morning.

"But I lived in Hamilton (Ontario), and Hamilton is more frightening than this at times."

The woman, who asked not to be identified, did not know the deceased.

"I feel sadness more than anything else," she said.

Garry Longe, another building resident, said nobody likes to see such a thing happen.

"It doesn't matter where you live, something like that could happen," said the retiree, adding he also did not know the deceased.

"In a building like this, you very seldom get to know your neighbours."