Foul play suspected in woman’s death

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]olice suspect foul play after the body of an unidentified woman was found in the Grand River near the Walter Bean trail Friday afternoon.

A group of teenagers swimming in the river observed something suspicious in the water, said Sgt. Greg Harrison of the Waterloo Regional Police.

Police responded to the area off Riverbend Drive from the entrance to the Economical Insurance Trailway — a section of the Walter Bean Grand River Trail.

The body of a woman, approximately 20 to 50 years of age, was recovered from the river by police, Insp. Mark Bullock said late Friday evening.

The circumstances are deemed suspicious and the victim’s identity has yet to be determined.

Bullock described the victim as having a “distinctive” tattoo, of what appears to be a constellation of stars, on her torso. The victim also had a navel piercing.

“We’re hoping that the public is going to be able to assist us in identifying the victim,” Bullock said.

The walk-up to the trail and parking area were cordoned off by police Friday evening. Several forensic unit vans and police vehicles were at the scene.

Bullock said homicide detectives and several other branches of the police service are working on the case.

At Riverbend Drive, investigators were walking in and out of a wooded area and through the trail leading toward the river.

The area under investigation lies between the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society and a business park. There are otherwise no residential or commercial buildings in the immediate area surrounding the trail entrance.

Police do not yet know when the woman died or how long the body was in the water. An autopsy has been scheduled to take place in Hamilton Saturday.

Police are continuing the investigation and ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 or the police homicide branch at 519-650-8500, ext. 8642.