An RMCP task force is proving its worth with the investigation of a 19-year-old prostitute's murder near Edmonton.

The RCMP unit is called Project Kare, and the death of Rachel Quinney is the first one in which it has been involved almost from the start.

Quinney was found on the weekend in a bushy area near the Edmonton bedroom community of Sherwood park.

The mother of two hadn't been reported as missing. Police haven't said how she died or when.

Since 1988, the bodies of 12 other people, many of them prostitutes, have been discovered within 17 kilometres of where Quinney's body was found.

"What we are saying as a result of the investigative process, that one person may be responsible for more than one of these homicides," said RCMP Cpl. Wayne Oakes.

There are currently 21 investigators working on Project Kare, which started in 2003. When it is fully staffed, it will have 30.

Project Kare is looking into 39 unsolved homicides and the disappearance of 40 women in Western Canada.

Pat Reilly's daughter Kelly was murdered three years ago. She was found near Villeneuve, which is west of Edmonton.

"It brings back all of the emotions when they found Kelly," she said about the discovery of Quinney.

Reilly was grateful a task force is looking into the murders now, noting that when she reported her daughter as missing, the police's attitude was "maybe she was getting high some place with some rich guy."

When asked who could be doing this, criminologist Keith Spencer said: "Some of them are monsters like Clifford Olson, some of them are suave like Ted Bundy."

Olson is one of Canada's worst serial killers, having claimed 11 victims, all children. Bundy confessed to 30 murders in the U.S. and was executed in 1989.

Whatever type of killer, "he's probably getting a combination of sexually gratification and some peculiar buzz from killing," Spencer said.

"It might even be a thing where he thinks he's doing some sort of service getting rid of people that are in that sort of business."

Spencer also though the place chose by the killer was also significant.

"Those areas become known as venues for performing the act and they are safe places to get rid of bodies and do the business," he said.

"Now we've outed him as a serial killer, it'll be interesting to see his reaction. I don't think he'll disappear. I think he's into this now."

Police are warning prostitutes in Edmonton o be extremely cautious.

Delia Quinney, Rachel's mother, had a simple plea of her own: "She doesn't deserve this and whoever did this, please turn yourself in."

With a report from CTV's Jeff Little