Despite public tips, despite road checks and despite releasing photos of the victim wearing her Halloween costume the night she was attacked, police announced Friday they still don’t have a suspect in the death of Armstrong teenager Taylor Van Diest.
But they refuse to give up.
“We are following up and will follow up on every new lead the public has provided us,” said Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk.
Police believe Van Diest left her home at 5:50 p.m. Halloween night dressed as a zombie, complete with make-up, and wearing a tan jacket, and walked north on Pleasant Valley Road for about 10 minute by the railroad tracks.
The last contact she had with her family or friends was at 6 p.m. by text message.
Molendyk said he was not 100 per cent sure, when asked by a reporter, of reports that Van Diest texted her family saying she was being “creeped out” by something or someone were accurate.
The next contact to the family was at 7:30 p.m. when Van Diest’s cell phone was found by an individual on the street. The family then reported her missing to the RCMP.
She was found, by a family member and a friend, in a bush area near the tracks that cross Rosedale Avenue at around 8:45 p.m., unconscious from an assault.
Van Diest died later that night in Kelowna hospital.
“It is the time from 5:50 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. that we would like to know her movements,” said Molendyk.
Police conducted a road check in the area of Pleasant Valley Road and Rosedale Avenue Thursday night for two hours, hoping someone could provide some more information about Van Diest’s death.
“We know people are creatures of habit,” said Molendyk. “They were probably going home at the same time from work. They probably take that same route to and from a store or friends. We were there with photographs during that same time period to see if maybe we could jog the memory of those individuals, maybe they saw what was happening at that time on Halloween night.”
Van Diest’s cell phone was found on the railway tracks but Molendyk did not have information on where it was found in relation to the discovery of the girl.
The individual who found the cell phone has been interviewed by police.
Results of an autopsy conducted Thursday are not being released by police, as the results are considered hold back evidence in the interests of preserving the integrity of the investigation.
“In some cases, we are able to provide some details of the death,” said Molendyk. “In this case, investigators feel it is in the best interest not to release any information. Right now, the only people who know the full details of this death are the pathologist, a few investigators and the person or persons responsible for this crime.”
Molendyk would not say if Van Diest had been sexually assaulted.
Police will work on the case throughout the weekend.
“The RCMP is doing everything possible to bring this case to a successful conclusion, and bring the person or persons responsible to justice, so the family and the community of Armstrong can begin the healing process,” said Molendyk.
The community has had to deal with four tragic deaths of young people in just more than a month.
Cullen Rowan, like Van Diest an 18-year-old Pleasant Valley Secondary Class of ‘11 graduate, died Sept. 22 in a workplace accident in Armstrong.
Siblings Ava-Mae Claassen, five, and Austin Claassen, four, died Oct. 12 in a motorhome fire.
To help with the healing process, a Moment of Remembrance for the youth will be held today at 2:30 p.m. in Memorial Park.
Everyone is invited.
“This is an opportunity to come together as a community to support each other in a time of need and restore our sense of security,” states a poster promoting the event.
