UPDATE: Police confirm murder in Glenmore

UPDATE: 1:05 p.m. June 21, 2013

A woman found dead in the 300 block of Yates Road Tuesday was murdered, police confirmed today.

Kelowna RCMP say an autopsy is complete on Theresa Ashley Neville, who lived at the residence with her two children ages eight and 10. Both children were found unharmed inside the house and have since moved in with their extended family.

RCMP spokesperson Const. Kris Clark said it took three days to get results back from an autopsy to confirm she died of homicide. He couldn't provide any information about a suspect and couldn't say if police suspect she was killed by someone she knew or a stranger.

"Don't have information to allay fears for either side of that," he said. 

Mounties want to talk to a person who was seen in the area the night of the homicide. He is described as a male with darker skin, possibly Aboriginal with long, shoulder length black hair, slim features and narrow face and high cheekbones. The man was seen wearing black clothing.

None of the neighbours recall seeing anyone with that description.

Neighbour Fred Mark says he heard an unmistakable gunshot sometime after 11 p.m. June 18. That was the night the neighbourhood was crawling with police and police dogs.

"I know a gunshot when I hear it," he said, adding it sounded like a handgun and not a rifle.

Clark didn't expect much more information coming soon.

"At the end of this, we need to be able to get a charge so we can't release more," he said.

Anyone with information can call Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 or remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.crimestoppers.net or texting to CRIMES (274637) ktown.

This story was edited again at 3:42 p.m. June 21, 2013 to include neighbour comments

This story was edited at 2:55 p.m. June 21, 2013 to include an interview with Const. Kris Clark

UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. June 18.

Kelowna Mounties have confirmed they are investigating the suspicious death of a 27-year-old woman. Spokesperson Const. Kris Clark says police were called by ambulance paramedics to the scene and the RCMP Serious Crime Unit is investigating.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300. Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting to CRIMES (274637) ktown.

UPDATE: 10:49 a.m. June 18.

RCMP are expected to make a statement this morning about a crime scene in Glenmore.

Not much information is known at the moment, but police have secured the home at 397 Yates Road with crime scene tape being guarded by two police cars. 

A neighbour in the area said around 12:45 a.m. she saw roughly six police cars using search lights around the home. She said an ambulance and fire equipment joined them in the area, along with police dogs searching in the roped-off area. She said the home was a rental unit with fairly new tenants and possibly two children living at the home. 

Police tape blocks Yates Road in Glenmore. Photographer: Julie Whittet

To contact the reporter for this story, email Julie Whittet at jwhittet@infotelnews.ca or call (250)718-0428.

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Marshall Jones

Marshall Jones

News is best when it's local, relevant, timely and interesting. That's our focus every day.

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