Post by LadyBlue on Jul 21, 2005 9:57:45 GMT -5
Liana White appeared to have been involved in a struggle before her death, but how she died is still undetermined, police said Tuesday.
Lead investigator Det. Michael Campeau confirmed that the body found along a rural road Sunday was the 29-year-old pregnant woman, who had been missing since July 12.
"It's not a victory for the police service. It's a tragic day for two families," Campeau said. "Liana's mom is not doing very well."
Liana White's 28-year-old husband Michael, who organized a search party that found her body northwest of St. Albert, has been charged with second-degree murder and committing an indignity to a body. Campeau said the latter charge related to the body being dumped in a rural area.
The Whites' three-year-old daughter is believed to be staying with her maternal grandmother.
"She's lost both her mom and dad," Campeau said.
A red-eyed Michael White made a brief court appearance Tuesday morning, where his lawyer reserved plea.
"We are anxious to answer these allegations," lawyer Larry Anderson said outside court.
Campeau said Liana White's body was "in a state of decomposition," which made the task of determining how she died more difficult, although marks on the body indicate there had been a struggle. She was identified through dental records.
The medical examiner will conduct further tests to pin down the cause of death.
Campeau said White had some clothing on when she was found, "but not very much."
He would not comment on where police believe she was killed. Campeau also said that a vehicle towed Sunday night from the area where the body was found – and where White had been searching – was the husband's pickup truck, which police had earlier obtained a search warrant for.
Campeau said investigators are still trying to determine a motive in the case.
"There are still many leads to follow up on," he said.
Police are investigating reports that the Whites were in financial straits. Campeau said officers had never been called to the home and that Michael White doesn't have a criminal record.
However, the mechanic has a record from his time with the Canadian Forces, where he pleaded guilty to stealing computer components and mechanical tools, was fined and released from duty.
Revising the timeline of when Liana White was last seen, Campeau said someone other than her husband saw her alive late on the night of July 11, just before midnight.
Originally, police believed she had left her home at 6:15 a.m. July 12 on her way to work as a medical clerk in the neo-natal unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. But at least two witnesses came forward to say they had spotted her abandoned SUV before 6 a.m.
Her brown Ford Explorer was found in the parking lot of a playing field behind the Castledowns YMCA – about two kilometres from her home, along her regular route to work. The keys were inside the vehicle and the door was wide open.
Police say White's purse, some identification and a pair of shoes were found near the SUV. More identification and her cellphone were found in an area northwest of the parking lot.
Flyers with Liana White's picture went up around the neighbourhood, commuters who traveled the same route were stopped to see if they'd seen anything suspicious and volunteers offered to help search the area.
On the weekend, Michael White organized his own search party, which discovered the body about 1.6 kilometres from the area being looked at by police and their volunteer searchers.
Campeau said White kept police up to date about where he was looking, and called 911 when the body was discovered.
Police arrested White Sunday night. He was formally charged Monday afternoon.
While police initially said he wasn't a suspect, and that they were treating his wife's disappearance as a missing person's case, Campeau said Tuesday that at some point last week they "became aware of certain evidence that changed the focus to Michael White." He wouldn't elaborate.
Police also searched the Whites' home last week, saying it was the last place Liana White had been seen. They obtained a search warrant Saturday to take another look at the house, and Michael White wasn't allowed back in.
Last week, Michael White made a televised plea for his wife's return, saying he would do anything to find her and thanking police and volunteers for their efforts.
Campeau said police allowed White to make public statements, talk to the media and form his own search party because officers wanted to see what he would do.
"Part of our investigative strategy was to let him do that," he said.
Lead investigator Det. Michael Campeau confirmed that the body found along a rural road Sunday was the 29-year-old pregnant woman, who had been missing since July 12.
"It's not a victory for the police service. It's a tragic day for two families," Campeau said. "Liana's mom is not doing very well."
Liana White's 28-year-old husband Michael, who organized a search party that found her body northwest of St. Albert, has been charged with second-degree murder and committing an indignity to a body. Campeau said the latter charge related to the body being dumped in a rural area.
The Whites' three-year-old daughter is believed to be staying with her maternal grandmother.
"She's lost both her mom and dad," Campeau said.
A red-eyed Michael White made a brief court appearance Tuesday morning, where his lawyer reserved plea.
"We are anxious to answer these allegations," lawyer Larry Anderson said outside court.
Campeau said Liana White's body was "in a state of decomposition," which made the task of determining how she died more difficult, although marks on the body indicate there had been a struggle. She was identified through dental records.
The medical examiner will conduct further tests to pin down the cause of death.
Campeau said White had some clothing on when she was found, "but not very much."
He would not comment on where police believe she was killed. Campeau also said that a vehicle towed Sunday night from the area where the body was found – and where White had been searching – was the husband's pickup truck, which police had earlier obtained a search warrant for.
Campeau said investigators are still trying to determine a motive in the case.
"There are still many leads to follow up on," he said.
Police are investigating reports that the Whites were in financial straits. Campeau said officers had never been called to the home and that Michael White doesn't have a criminal record.
However, the mechanic has a record from his time with the Canadian Forces, where he pleaded guilty to stealing computer components and mechanical tools, was fined and released from duty.
Revising the timeline of when Liana White was last seen, Campeau said someone other than her husband saw her alive late on the night of July 11, just before midnight.
Originally, police believed she had left her home at 6:15 a.m. July 12 on her way to work as a medical clerk in the neo-natal unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. But at least two witnesses came forward to say they had spotted her abandoned SUV before 6 a.m.
Her brown Ford Explorer was found in the parking lot of a playing field behind the Castledowns YMCA – about two kilometres from her home, along her regular route to work. The keys were inside the vehicle and the door was wide open.
Police say White's purse, some identification and a pair of shoes were found near the SUV. More identification and her cellphone were found in an area northwest of the parking lot.
Flyers with Liana White's picture went up around the neighbourhood, commuters who traveled the same route were stopped to see if they'd seen anything suspicious and volunteers offered to help search the area.
On the weekend, Michael White organized his own search party, which discovered the body about 1.6 kilometres from the area being looked at by police and their volunteer searchers.
Campeau said White kept police up to date about where he was looking, and called 911 when the body was discovered.
Police arrested White Sunday night. He was formally charged Monday afternoon.
While police initially said he wasn't a suspect, and that they were treating his wife's disappearance as a missing person's case, Campeau said Tuesday that at some point last week they "became aware of certain evidence that changed the focus to Michael White." He wouldn't elaborate.
Police also searched the Whites' home last week, saying it was the last place Liana White had been seen. They obtained a search warrant Saturday to take another look at the house, and Michael White wasn't allowed back in.
Last week, Michael White made a televised plea for his wife's return, saying he would do anything to find her and thanking police and volunteers for their efforts.
Campeau said police allowed White to make public statements, talk to the media and form his own search party because officers wanted to see what he would do.
"Part of our investigative strategy was to let him do that," he said.