The RCMP's investigation into the homicide of a young woman whose charred remains were found under a bridge near the Galloping Goose Trail Friday evening has been hampered by the inability of investigators to identify the victim's badly burnt body, police said Monday.
"The coroner has made this a No. 1 priority for the province this morning after we allayed our concern for public safety to them," RCMP Corporal Darren Lagan said Monday. "The body was damaged as a result of the fire … seriously enough that it stopped us from being able to do an ID on her."
A woman out walking on the Galloping Goose Trail, a popular jogging and cycling route that follows the former E &N Railway spur from Victoria to Sooke, spotted the woman's body under a pedestrian bridge that crosses Millstream Creek near Atkins Road in the suburban community of Colwood around 7 p.m.
Police spent two and a half days collecting evidence at the crime scene and brought in a dive team to scour the creek bed for clues.
Cpl. Lagan said investigators are certain the body is that of a young female, but have yet to establish her age, the cause of death, or the time of death.
"We're looking at some time between dawn on Thursday and around 7 p.m. Friday evening," he said. "The autopsy is going to be the key to answering those questions."
People living in homes near the scene have provided investigators with "helpful" information, but police won't be able to identify any suspects until they know the identity of the victim and can start piecing together the last hours of her life.
Some neighbours have reported that the bridge is a popular drinking and smoking spot for young teenagers, but Cpl. Lagan said homeless people have also been known to stay overnight beside the graffiti-covered bridge footings.
RCMP are also cross-checking the names of 29 young women who are listed as runaways on southern Vancouver Island.
Asked if the victim could have been attacked at random while walking along the trail Cpl. Lagan said: "Until we identify the victim, we can't answer the question whether this is a random or targeted murder."
It's up to the coroner's service to determine whether sexual assault played a role in the killing, he said.
Police have no timetable for the autopsy results and can't comment on whether dental records will be needed to help with the identification, he added.
On Sunday, the body of a man was found along the Colquitz River in the northern section of the Galloping Goose Trail. Police said foul play is not suspected, and the man's name was not released.