It is Wednesday August 15th, 2012, and approaching midday. Rich vibrant green spruce trees, some tinted with white rise from the grass, stopping at a grey uneven road. There is an aroma of pureness in the air at Hewick Meadows Park, West Toronto. A group of hikers are enjoying a stroll near the Mississauga`s Credit River in the park. On the rivers edge amongst leaves and dead fallen branches they make a grisly discovery. Half submerged in the murky water is a severed human foot.
"There’s definitely something amiss," said Inspector Randy Cowan of Peel Regional Police.
The decomposition of the severed foot suggested it had remained undiscovered in the park for several weeks. The presence of yellow nail varnish on the toes of the victim pointed towards the foot belonging to a female. On March 27th 2004 a hiker discovered the body of 9 year Cecilia Zhang in the same park. Four months later a visa student Min Chen 21 originating from Shanghai, China was charged with her murder. Police confirmed that the size of the severed foot out ruled the victim being a child. But who is she ?
The Police began the arduous task of scouring the park and river for evidence and more remains. Police search dogs and members of Peel Regional police search team,waded through the murky river as a helicopter scanned the area. On Thursday 16th August 2012 a second find was made, police stated they had found the remains of a decapitated human head. It is hard to believe a place of such natural beauty where deers roam and people gather to enjoy the summertime would be the site of something so horrible. Mid afternoon on Friday 17th August 2012 Police made a third discovery a pair of human hands, one hand was located close to where the foot had been found on Wednesday downstream along the Credit River ,the other hand, even further downstream and quite a distance from the other body parts.
"The likelihood of it being the same person is common sense wise, pretty high !" said Sargent Pete Brandwood of Peel Regional Police
Dismemberment is a horrible business, it takes apart society's trust in their own safety limb by limb. Imagery of deep gashes ,blood gushing to the floor, painful screams and maniacal laughter, Canada is no stranger to being drenched in blood. On 31st December 2011 in Edmonton, the dismembered body of Misty Lynn Ward 27 was found in a bathtub, her blood coating the floor and the walls. The tenant of the apartment where she was discovered ,Joshua James Houle was later charged with second degree murder. She is one of many to suffer such a gruesome end.
In Montreal on July 26th 2012 the father of Jun Lin ,hugged a box containing his sons remains at his funeral and wept his eyes worn by grief and exhaustion. Jun Lins death hit global headlines when his headless torso was discovered in a suitcase his other body parts mailed to Government offices and schools. Luka Rocco Magnotto is charged with committing an indignity to a human body and also faces a charge of first degree murder. Could this case be connected ?
"There is no evidence at all to indicate that there is any connection to that incident" said Constable George Tudos.
On Saturday 18th August 2012, at West Highland Creek , 37 miles from where the body parts were found , a golfer Cameron James was searching for golf balls when he came across a "pungent smell". On further investigation he discovered it to be a decomposing human calf. The next day a Toronto Star reporter almost tripped over a garbage bag floating in the creek whilst reporting Cameron James' gruesome find - it contained more human remains. In total one arm, two calves and a thigh were found over that weekend. Was this a second victim ?
"We have a female victim, unfortunately we've been able to find portions of her body in two jurisdictions," said Sargent Pete Brandwood, speaking to the CBC on Monday August 20, 2012.
Forensic teams continued to examine the remains, closer study would hopefully provide investigators with more answers such as the weight, height and DNA of the victim. Meanwhile police sifted through piles of missing person reports in the hope of finding her identity .
On Tuesday August 14th, a day before the first body part was found, Guang Hua Liu, 41, mother of three, was reported missing by her boyfriend, Ken, she was described in the report as being 5"1, roughly 108 lbs in weight with tattooed eyebrows and long straight brown hair. Liu was last been seen the previous Friday at 6.30 pm after being dropped off at the Spa she owned, the Forget Me Not Holistic Spa on Englinton Avenue East which she had owned since May. On Tuesday August 21st Police released information that it was missing Guang Hua Liu who's body had been dismembered and disposed of in the river. The unfortunate woman finally had an identity now the questions remain - Who did this ? and why?
