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Montreal police locate remains of missing girl
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CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Wed. May. 4 2011 9:58 PM ET
Montreal police have found the body of a young girl who went missing 12 years ago, which has prompted an investigation into her apparent murder.
Jolene Riendeau was last seen alive on April 12, 1999, when she was playing near her house in a southwest Montreal neighbourhood.
Despite about 1,500 tips in the years that followed, she was never seen alive again.
Riendeau was just 10 years old when she disappeared.
On Wednesday, police announced that Riendeau's remains had been located and that her death was being investigated as a homicide.
While police won't say how they came to locate the missing girl's body, Sgt. Ian Lafreniere said investigators are pursuing a lead that could help them break the case.
"We do have a very serious lead about a possible suspect," Lafreniere told CTV News Wednesday.
"Knowing where we found the body, how it happened, when we discovered the body; that is the kind of detail we keep for ourselves."
Lafreniere said police are keeping the details of the case under wraps for now.
He said that investigators told the Riendeau family about their tragic finding on Wednesday morning.
"For them it was a shock," said Lafreniere.
The family gathered together on Wednesday, but made no immediate statements to the press.
Riendeau's mother, Dolores Soucy, posted on Facebook Wednesday, saying her daughter will rest in peace.
The Riendeau case remained a high-profile one in Montreal for many years and police twice dredged the Lachine Canal to search for her body.
Steve Roberts, a retired Montreal police homicide detective, said Riendeau's disappearance kept investigators busy for years, but they were never able to close the case.
"It was an up and down investigation," Roberts told CTV News on Wednesday.
"Every time you thought you had a good lead, you were at the top of the mountain. It didn't pan out, you were at the bottom.
"There is nothing worse for an investigator than an open case, because you are working for the family."
Riendeau's face is believed to have appeared on about a million missing children's posters after she disappeared.
With a report by CTV Montreal's Genevieve Beauchemin and files from The Canadian Press
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It is about time - as a grandparent I have watched our kids (who were allowed to fail although I do remember some nagging on our part) learn, I have watched our children now micro-manage their children. A big part of it is the fact that there are predators out there and an extreme reluctance on the parents part to alllow freedom that might result in the children becoming victims.
Comments are now closed for this story
FB
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Bobfar
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Susan Fairbairn
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Doug ^^^ BC
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TLC
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Take joy in the fact that she is, and has been, resting in the arms of Jesus all these years ... healthy and happy.
God be with you all, you're in my prayers.
Doug in BC
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I lost my brother years ago and he was never found, his was a boating accident though.
They will probably never see justice as, if they catch the person responsible, that person will probably get a couple years and out in half.
They have been robbed of the joy of watching her grow up and seeing her come down the aisle as she is married, then of couse the greatest joy is spoiling your grandchildren, then sending them home.
Anne
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DD in Hfx.
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A G A
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Sober
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TWilson
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Mike J.
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Josee
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MJ
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MIKE POWER
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trev
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Ian Ottawa
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