Mounties appeal for help to crack 2002 murder case

RCMP are appealing to the public for one piece of evidence that could crack the cold case murder of a young Calgary woman.

They say information on how Adrienne McColl was slain in 2002 could finally crack a case they’ve never lost hope in solving.

“We’re looking for anything. It could be an off-hand comment — something seen as insignificant could become very key, ” said Cpl. Hal Turnbull, almost exactly 16 years after the woman’s body was found by a rancher herding cattle near Nanton.

“It’s going to be, unfortunately, an anniversary so hopefully that’ll jog someone’s memory. Maybe remorse will do that.”

It’s highly likely the killer — or killers — has confided to others and those people should step forward, said Turnbull.

McColl, 21, was last seen on Valentine’s Day 2002 and her body was found three days later in a field eight kilometres outside of Nanton, 85 kilometres south of Calgary.

Progress on the case has been slow but tangible, aided by advances in forensic technology, said an RCMP statement released Monday.

“This new information has already allowed the investigation to progress in ways it could not prior to the existence of the new technologies,” said the release.

Soon after McColl’s slaying, police zeroed in on a suspect, McColl’s boyfriend Stephane Parent, who disappeared after the killing and was found in Ottawa.

Her stepfather John McGee’s car was also missing and found abandoned at the Calgary airport.

Parent, who worked with McColl at the Studio 82 sports bar, said he borrowed the car but denied any role in the woman’s death.

“I did not kill her and if police seriously think I did, then tell them to press charges,” he told the Calgary Sun in May 2002.

“If I would have done, it, (police) would have had prints or something.”

On Monday, Turnbull said he didn’t know if Parent or anyone remained a suspect in the case

Six years ago, RCMP said the man remained the only one in their sights, and that he wasn’t speaking to investigators.

But Turnbull said the case has never ceased being an active one for RCMP homicide sleuths.

Mounties say they’ve received tips recently on the file that they ’ve been following up while re-examining older ones.

“Cold case is an American term that we don’t use. That infers it’s sat on the shelf for a while, but that’s not the case,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call local police, RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS).