The body of a 23-year-old missing Chilliwack woman has been found.
Shaelene Keeler Bell’s body was found on Wednesday, June 2 in the Fraser River near Coquitlam, more than four months after she went missing on Jan. 30, RCMP said.
Bell’s mother, Alina Durham, choked back tears as she spoke briefly with The Progress about the tragic discovery of her daughter.
“I’m still in shock,” she said quietly on Thursday, June 3.
“The Chilliwack RCMP have now concluded their investigation as there is no evidence to support criminal involvement in this death; however, the BC Coroners Service is conducting its own fact-finding investigation to determine how, where, when and by what means the death occurred,” RCMP said in the release.
Bell was last seen on Saturday, Jan. 30 when she left her apartment in the 9300-block of Edward Street in Chilliwack around 8:30 p.m. Her 2021 Hyundai Tucson was found in the 47000-block of Ballam Road two days later on Monday, Feb. 1.
For the past four months, people had been searching the Fraser River and neighbouring properties for her.
Highway banners were installed, posters could be seen all around town and a fundraiser was put in place to help support Bell’s two young boys and search efforts.
READ MORE: Hwy 1 banner latest step in family’s search for Chilliwack woman missing for 8 weeks
READ MORE: GoFundMe set up to raise money for searchers, young boys of missing Chilliwack mom
The discovery of Bell’s body comes after two other female bodies were found in two months in the Hope area. On March 29, human remains were found in Hope and on May 1 the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) identified the body as 48-year-old Trina Hunt of Port Moody who had been missing since Jan. 18, 2021.
READ MORE: IHIT: Body found in Hope identified as missing Port Moody woman
Another homicide victim, found off Highway 1 between Hope and Yale on May 26, was identified two days later as 19-year-old Melissa Elizabeth Steele who frequented the Vancouver area.
READ MORE: Homicide victim found in Fraser Canyon identified as 19-year-old woman
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