The human remains found in a field near Morinville last month are those of a woman who went missing in Edmonton almost 10 years ago
Police said this week the medical examiner has determined that the human remains discovered on May 16 by a surveyor working in a field are those of Deanna Marie Bellerose.
Bellerose was last seen in Edmonton on Sept. 10, 2002. She had black hair and was approximately four-foot-eleven and 110 pounds and was 29 when she disappeared.
She was last seen near 95 Street and 105A Avenue. The RCMP does not have a cause of death and doesn’t currently know when or how Bellerose came to be in the field.
“We have to certainly consider that she might have come across foul play and that is all part of the investigation, but she might have wandered off, she might have fallen,” said Sgt. Shawn LeMay, a spokesperson for the force.
“There are a whole bunch of things that we want to make sure stay within the realm of possibilities of what might have happened to her.”
LeMay said officers need help establishing a timeline of Bellerose’s disappearance and are asking anyone who may have known her, or a member of the public who might recognize her, to come forward.
“Some people might feel that their information might be insignificant or very small; we caution them please do not draw that conclusion,” said LeMay.
The nearly 10-year disappearance will pose difficulties for the investigation, adding to the importance of any information someone can provide, said LeMay.
“The time lapse is a challenge, I am sure the investigators will be working on establishing a timeline based on the information we have and what we might be receiving.”
Anyone with any information can contact the Morinville RCMP at 780-939-4550, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or Project KARE at 1-877-412-5273.
Project KARE is a specialized unit with the RCMP’s serious crime branch that focuses on the deaths and disappearances of people who work in high-risk lifestyles, including sex-trade workers.
