The mysterious disappearance of a pregnant British Columbia teacher is now a murder investigation.

The charred body of a woman was found in suburban Vancouver on Oct. 23.

Forensics confirmed on Thursday the body belonged to 30-year-old Manjit Panghali and her fetus.

Panghali, a mother of a three year old daughter, was four months pregnant with her second child. She was last seen on Wednesday, Oct. 18, when she left home to attend a local pre-natal yoga class.

She never arrived at her destination.

Grief counsellors will be on hand today at Surrey's North Ridge Elementary School, where Panghali was a popular Grade 1 teacher.

"This type of crime defies comprehension and the value of human life," Delta police spokeswoman Sharlene Brooks said Thursday at a news conference.

The Delta police department will be the lead agency in the investigation of the homicide, which will be very aggressive, Brooks said.

Police are enforcing an information blackout on the case.

"We would like to provide as much information to the public as we can, however we must remain diligent in protecting every aspect of the investigation," said Brooks.

"Therefore, no further information will be provided after today and no additional information is anticipated to be released in the coming days or weeks as we continue our investigation."

Anyone with information on the disappearance and homicide is being asked to call Delta police department at (604) 946-4411.

At a news conference earlier this week, her husband and family pleaded for anyone with information about her disappearance to step forward.

Her husband, a high school physics teacher, admitted he did not report his wife missing until Thursday evening, about 26 hours after he last saw her.

Surrey police announced on Monday that Panghali's 2001 grey Honda Civic had been located on the Lower Mainland, but would not specify its exact location.

Surrey detachment victim services, in conjunction with the Delta Police Service, the Surrey detachment's Youth Section and the Surrey School Division, will make counseling available to Panghali's students and colleagues, police said.

With files from the Canadian Press