Suspect arrested exactly 16 years after Calgary murder victim was found

Former boyfriend of Adrienne Mccoll returned to alberta to face murder charge

The aunt of a Calgary woman slain nearly 20 years ago said she’d lost hope of an arrest ever being made in the case.

But that’s what’s happened, exactly 16 years ago to the day Adrienne McColl’s body was found.

Stephane Parent, 49, was arrested without incident outside his home in Gatineau, Que., on Saturday, and was being flown back to Alberta on Monday charged with second-degree murder.

The body of his then-girlfriend and co-worker Adrienne McColl was found by a rancher in a field on Feb. 17, 2002, about 85 kilometres south of Calgary three days after she went missing.

“I’m surprised because it’s been such a long time, they ’ve been trying to put that case together for years,” said Marion Evans, McColl’s aunt.

“I’m thankful, and I pray he’ll finally pay for it. But it still doesn’t bring back Adrienne.”

She recalled her niece’s childhood that began on Vancouver Island but was spent mostly growing up in Calgary.

“She was the brightest, smartest little girl . . . it’s really a terrible tragedy,” said Evans.

Mounties never ceased their investigation that ultimately involved 184 officers in the 16-year odyssey, said Supt. Garrett Woolsey.

“Adrienne’s family has spent years waiting for an arrest and to hear the truth about what happened to her, and to bring a sense of closure to the void their loved one’s death has left in their lives,” he said, adding the news has been bittersweet for McColl’s family.

“They know that it’s the next step, that there’s still a court process to go through and, of course, nothing will bring the loved one back, but there is some satisfaction that something ’s been moved forward . . . we’re so satisfied to be able to bring this file to this point today.”

Advances in DNA evidence technology and a steady stream of tips ultimately led to Parent’s arrest, Woolsey said.

“The DNA technology and the forensic aspects became much more critical . . . it’s incremental, the advances in technology,” he said.

Both Parent and his alleged victim worked at the then-Studio 82 sports bar on Heritage Drive S.W. when the woman went missing on Valentine’s Day, 2002.

Immediately after, Parent vanished, as did a car belonging to McColl’s stepfather.

It was later found abandoned at the Calgary International Airport and Parent was tracked down in Ottawa.

In an interview in May 2002, Parent said he’d borrowed the car but denied any role in McColl’s death.

And he taunted police.

“I did not kill her and if police seriously think I did, then tell them to press charges,” he said.

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

Then-Calgary reporter Mike D’Amour said he recalled interviewing by phone a soft-spoken Parent, who said he was willing to return to Calgary and speak with police.

“He vehemently denied the charge and that’s when he said he’d find the killer himself,” said D’Amour.

D’Amour said he was interviewed about the case a month ago by Mounties in Winnipeg.

Six years ago, Mounties said Parent had never ceased being their only suspect in the case.

Last week, RCMP put out a call for assistance from the public to close the case, seeking information on how McColl was killed.

On Monday, Woolsey wouldn’t say that effort proved decisive in securing Parent’s arrest.

But he said the case should encourage families whose homicide cases remain unsolved.

“The message is simply never give up, the police are with you,” he said.

“We can’t guarantee a charge will be laid in every case, but we’ll do our best.”

A first court appearance in Calgary for Parent has yet to be set.