Episode 293: During the evening of Friday, October 13 and the early hours of October 14, 1978, a group of teens and young adults attended a gathering in a rural area of Maple Ridge, B.C. That night, 16-year-old Catherine Emma Pozzobon went missing from the event. Her partially clothed remains were discovered on the afternoon of October 15, not far from the location of the party. Investigations revealed the presence of seminal fluid in her mouth, throat, and on her clothing, as well as a tuft of human hair grasped in her hand. The case was treated as a homicide by law enforcement, but without adequate evidence to pinpoint a suspect, the inquiry was eventually suspended.
Two decades later, in 1998, the case was reopened with the advancement of DNA profiling as a key tool for forensic investigation. Police tested the DNA profiles of the male party attendees against the evidence found on Cathy’s body, and there was a match. Twenty years after she was murdered, Cathy’s family finally saw justice.
Sources:
2001 BCSC 597 (CanLII) | R. v. Larsen | CanLII)
OBITUARY: The Province 18 Oct 1978, page 38)
Police Seek Clues: The Vancouver Sun 20 Oct 1978, page 6)
No New Leads: Surrey Leader 01 Nov 1978, page 16)
10 Suspects: Times Colonist 07 Nov 1978, page 14)
Unsolved: The Vancouver Sun 18 Apr 1981, page 10)
The Vancouver Sun 01 May 2001, page 11)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101800177/catherine-emma-pozzobon)
Maple Ridge — Official Website)
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