Caucasian or East Indian female remains found in Edmonton

Edmonton’s Medical Examiner has determined that the human remains found earlier this month in a wooded area in the city’s west end are that of a young adult female.

The remains, which were found at approximately 215 Street and 98 Avenue, include a woman’s skull, jaw bone and a few other bones. It’s believed the deceased female was Caucasian or East Indian and likely in her early 20s.

“On examination of the existing teeth in the found jaw bone, the Medical Examiner has deemed it possible the female wore braces at some time in her life,” says Homicide Section Det. Brian Robertson. “He was also able to determine that the bones could have been in the wooded area for more than two years.”

The cause of death is still under investigation.

“More testing will be done on the found remains that will hopefully help us identify the deceased female,” says Robertson.

Homicide Section continues to work closely with the EPS Missing Persons Unit and has advised Alberta Missing Person’s and Unidentified Human Remains (AMPUHR) and Project KARE.

Background:

Homicide detectives and Forensic Identification investigators spent much of this week combing a wooded area in the vicinity of 215 Street and 98 Avenue in the city’s west end where there has been a discovery of partial human skeletal remains.

Police were contacted at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 3) by an individual out walking in the area. Investigators were on scene again Wednesday, Thursday and today in an effort to determine if there were any other human remains and complete a thorough examination of the area. Edmonton Police are being assisted by Edmonton Regional Search and Rescue and Search and Rescue Dog Association of Alberta.

The medical examiner will be examining the remains in an effort to determine the gender and an approximate age of the victim. It is not known how long the skeletal remains have been at the location.

As is customary when remains are found Homicide leads the investigation and oversees the processing of the scene by members of the Forensic Identification Section. This is currently a death investigation and is not a criminal investigation. Homicide Section is working closely with Missing Persons Unit and has advised Alberta Missing Person’s and Unidentified Human Remains (AMPUHR) of the investigation. As a matter of course Project Kare has been advised of the investigation.