A woman’s body has been found in Pacific Spirit Park, police said yesterday, 14 months after the brutal murder of a prominent Vancouver woman in the same park.
RCMP, however, were quick to warn against drawing conclusions between this death and that of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry, who was murdered April 3, 2009 while jogging.
No one has been arrested in that case.
Yesterday, yellow police tape blocked entrances to the trails. A large RCMP-marked support RV was parked at 33rd Avenue and Camosun Street along with a number of cruisers and vans.
“It’s horrifying,” said neighbour Chris Wiens, who was walking in the area yesterday morning with her sister-in-law. “Already women are nervous being alone.
“There are so many people walking through the park, we should be able to feel safe. Even with another couple walking 10 feet ahead, if they go around a corner and no longer in sight. It’s unnerving.”
RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen said RCMP at the University of B.C. (the park is in the University Endowment Lands) were notified about the body at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
He said the scene was secured and investigators were called in. He would not say how the body was discovered.
“We are unable to say whether we are dealing with a homicide or something other than that,” Thiessen said.
“We’re asking the community not to speculate nor draw any conclusions and link this in some way to the Wendy Ladner-Beaudry file because we simply don’t know.”
Thiessen said late yesterday the body has been identified but police are not releasing the woman’s name.
