Members of the St. Francis Xavier University community are in mourning after professor Ottilia Chareka was murdered Wednesday.

Police received a 911 call from the Chareka residence on Centennial Drive Wednesday morning. When they arrived they found 42-year-old Ottilia Chareka suffering with life-threatening injuries. She was taken to St. Martha's Regional Hospital in Antigonish where she died two hours later.

Her husband, 47-year-old Patrick Chareka, was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court Thursday. Chareka, a former mathematics professor at St. F.X. University, has been charged with first-degree murder in her death.

"First-degree murder is a planned and deliberate killing," Crown Attorney Darlene Oko explains of the charge.

Zimbabwe-born Ottilia Chareka was an assistant professor of education at St. F.X. She served on several university committees and played an active role in promoting the education of African Nova Scotians.

Sean Riley, the president of St. F.X. is calling her death a tragedy for all.

"The whole St. F.X. community is really in mourning," says Riley. "Dr. Ottilia Chareka was much loved and respected. She had a tremendous role in the department of education."

Chareka was also featured in a 2009 documentary about her work as a respected scholar and human rights advocate.

Fellow educator and close friend, Jennifer Desmond, says she will be greatly missed.

"She was an educator who believed in justice," says Desmond. "She followed this in her teachings and everyday life. She was someone who definitely was a role model and mentor to African Nova Scotian women, and women in general."

The Chareka's were raising four children between the ages of three and eighteen at home. Oko confirmed that their 24-year-old daughter, and fifth child, has returned to Antigonish from Alberta to help care for her siblings.

"My understanding is that the children are being well cared for by friends of the family," says Oko.

Patrick Chareka has been remanded to jail. He will return to court March 30 to set a date for a preliminary hearing and has elected trial by Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge and jury.

St. F.X. will hold a memorial service for Ottilia Chareka on Sunday.