A woman’s body, found almost 20 years ago in a wooded area between Rockwood and Guelph, Ont., has now been identified.
The human remains were discovered by a passerby who was walking near a picnic rest area along Highway 7 on Aug. 28, 2005.
Although investigators knew they belonged to a female, not much more was known about the victim at that time.
Her death was, and is still, considered suspicious.
On Friday, Ontario Provincial Police announced they had identified the woman using forensic or investigative genetic genealogy (IGG).
Investigators said submitted the case in 2022 and, in April of this year, a presumptive identification was made. Police then located the woman’s relatives and a family member’s DNA was used to confirm the identity of the deceased as Tammy Eileen Penner, 41, of Chilliwack, British Columbia.
CTV asked the OPP why it took so long to come back with a positive match.
“The length of time for IGG analysis varies depending on several circumstances, including [the] traditional genealogy process or the time spent creating a profile from a DNA sample,” explained Agata Czajkowski, strategic communications advisor for the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Branch. “Additionally, the only certified/accredited labs that perform IGG are located in the United States, which will increase the time it takes to receive results.”
FULL ARTICLE: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/body-found-in-ont-identified-as-b-c-woman-who-went-missing-19-years-ago-1.7011885
