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Tuesday, August 12, 2014 X Volume 27 No. 94
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THIS WEEK
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‘A KILLER WALKS AMONGST US’ Gottfriedson urges local First Nations women to be careful
SAMANTHA PAUL Last seen on Sept. 9, 2013, Paul’s remains were found in June CASSANDRA WILSON Last seen on April 6, 2012, Wilson’s remains have never been located
By Tim Petruk
STAFF REPORTER
tim@kamloopsthisweek.com
Local First Nations leaders are urging vigilance and asking for help after a skull found south of Barnhartvale in June was determined last week to be that of missing native women Samantha Paul. “We call upon the public and urge people to come forward and speak up if they know anything about the disappearance of Samantha,” Tk’emlups Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson said at a press conference on Monday, Aug. 11. “Our community is small and it’s heart-wrenching and appalling to know a killer walks amongst us today. “We cannot accept violence against or amongst our people, especially our women.” Paul, 25, was last seen on Sept. 9, 2013. In June, a skull was found near White Lake, about 15 kilometres south of Barnhartvale. DNA testing has since determined it is that of Paul. Police have not said publicly whether she was murdered, only that foul play cannot be ruled out — but, Gottfriedson said, the evidence speaks for itself. “In our hearts, we know that she was murdered and that foul play was the cause of death,” he said. “We’re very, very concerned of the dismemberment of the remains of Samantha in an area she’s not known to be around.
MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN IN KAMLOOPS THE UNSOLVED CASES
SHERI LEE HILTZ Hiltz’s severely beaten body was found on Surrey Avenue in 2005 SHANA LABATTE The body of Labatte was located in Mission Flats in March 2004
Lack of inquiry a ‘national disgrace’
Shirley Paul (right), mother of Samantha Paul, is consoled by her sister Joyce Paul, during a press conference at the Tk’emlups Indian Band offices on Monday, Aug. 11. Samantha Paul vanished last September and, last week, remains found in June south of Barnhartvale were determined to be hers. Tim Petruk/KTW
“When her skull is in one spot and they can’t find the rest of her body, I guarantee that’s foul play.” Paul’s relatives were present at the press conference. Her mother, Shirley Paul, was too emotional to speak, but Joyce, Shirley’s sister, offered a few tearful words.
“We want proper closure,” she said. “We want to know what happened. We need to know what happened. “This is not an easy process.” An exhaustive police search of the White Lake area last week turned up additional remains,
though investigators have not stated what they found. RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush said the investigation is ongoing. At the time of Paul’s disappearance, police described her lifestyle as “vulnerable,” and it’s believed she was a sex-trade worker. X See ‘BE CAREFUL’ A5
British Columbia’s top-ranking First Nations chief says Samantha Paul’s death STEWART is the latest PHILLIP example of why the federal government should hold an inquiry looking into missing and murdered native women. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said native women are seven times more likely than non-natives to die as a result of foul play. X See PHILLIP A5
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