A 43-year-old woman charged with homicide in the death of her mother, well-known Carleton University scholar and administrator, Katherine Graham, 78, has been remanded in custody pending a court appearance Jan. 8, 2026.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Carleton University expressed deep sadness at the death.
“The Carleton University community is deeply saddened by the death of Professor Emerita Katherine A. H. Graham.
“Graham was a distinguished scholar, leader and public servant whose career profoundly shaped the fields of public policy, local governance, community development and Indigenous policy in Canada. Her work, mentorship and commitment to advancing understanding and collaboration have had an enduring impact on colleagues and students,” the university wrote.
In a letter to colleagues, Brenda O’Neill, dean of Carleton’s Faculty of Public and Global Affairs, said Graham’s “impact on the university, and particularly (the faculty) was profound, and she will be missed by so many in our community.”
O’Neill noted that Graham was Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs from 2003 to 2009 and associate dean (Research and Faculty Development) from 1998 to 2002.
“Dr. Graham was deeply committed to community-university partnerships and sustainable community development. She served as coordinator of the Carleton Batawa Initiative, aimed at making the community of Batawa a model for rural sustainability and community innovation. She was also chair of Community-Based Research Canada, a national network promoting collaboration between universities and community organizations to advance engaged research across the country.”
“Dr. Graham served as one of the founding members and a senior fellow of the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci). In 2009, the university established the Katherine Graham Annual Lecture in Indigenous Policy in her honour,” O’Neill noted.
Ontario Provincial Police on a “wellness call” Tuesday evening discovered the victim’s body. Post-mortem examination confirmed the death was the result of homicide, but there was no further information on the cause of death.
Police confirmed the victim was the mother of the accused. The women are both named Katherine Graham.
The investigation is being conducted by the Leeds County OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance from the OPP Forensic Identification Services and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Forensic Pathology Service.
