Samantha Paul vanished on Sept. 9, 2013. Her remains were found on June 1, 2014.
It’s been nearly a year since Samantha Paul’s remains were found in a rural area outside Kamloops — and police still aren’t saying whether her death is considered suspicious.
On June 1, bones and a skull found near White Lake, south of Barnhartvale, were determined to be those of Paul, an aboriginal woman who had been missing for 11 months.
She was last seen on Sept. 9, 2013.
Police have refused to say whether they are treating Paul’s death as a homicide, only that investigators are looking into it.
“The only thing I can state is that the investigation is ongoing,” Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush told KTW.
BC Coroners Service spokeswoman Barb McLintock said she cannot comment on the investigation, either.
“This is still being considered a suspicious death,” she said, noting any comments would have to come from police.
After Paul’s death, First Nations leaders held a press conference urging vigilance and looking for tips about what happened to Paul.
“Our community is small and it’s heart-wrenching and appalling to know a killer walks amongst us today,” Tk’emlups Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson said.
“We cannot accept violence against or amongst our people, especially our women.”
At the time of Paul’s disappearance, police described her lifestyle as “vulnerable.” It’s believed she had been working in the sex trade.
Paul’s death is the fourth unsolved case of a missing or murdered woman in Kamloops in the last 11 years.
Shana Labatte’s body was found in Mission Flats in March 2004. A year later, the body of Sheri Lee Hiltz was located on Surrey Avenue in North Kamloops.
In April 2010, Cassandra Wilson vanished after visiting a downtown Kamloops convenience store.
It’s believed all of the missing or murdered women were working in the sex trade.
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