Police identify remains as those of Ottawa woman

OTTAWA • Police are conducting a massive manhunt for the killer of an 18-year-old teen who went missing early Sept. 9 while walking home from her shift at work at a Wendy’s Restaurant.

The investigation shifted focus early yesterday after the Centre of Forensic Science in Toronto confirmed that a body found Sunday afternoon in a wooded area in suburban Ottawa was that of Jennifer Teague.

While speculation has drawn parallels in the Teague case to that of another unsolved murder, that of Ardeth Wood in 2003, police are quick to point out they have no links between the two killings.

Instead, they are working on a theory that the Teague killing was not a random act and that she knew her killer or killers.

Ottawa Police Chief Vince Bevan and lead investigators in the case met with Ms. Teague’s mother, father and step-mother about 2 p.m. to relay news on the the identification of the body.

The badly decomposed remains were found just metres from a parking lot leading to nature trails.

Police speculate the body had been there for several days, possibly even since the night Ms. Teague disappeared. They would not comment further on its condition.

About 2 a.m. yesterday, the body was sent to Toronto, where the identity was quickly confirmed through dental records.