Police say the death of Marrisa Shen, the 13-year-old girl whose body was found in a park in Burnaby, B.C., was the result of a random attack.
“Marrisa’s death was just senseless,” said Cpl. Meghan Foster at a joint news conference held by Burnaby RCMP and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on Wednesday.
Foster said she could not speak to the evidence involved in the case, or confirm if a sexual assault took place. No suspects have been identified.
Shen was last seen at her family home at 1 p.m. on July 18. Her body was found in Burnaby’s Central Park at 1:30 a.m. the following morning.
Police previously said they know she spoke to someone on the phone at 5 p.m., and that she did not appear to be in distress during the conversation. Police did not release details about whom she may have been speaking to.
Foster clarified that the phone interaction was via text message, and said those details were only released to help establish a timeline for public submissions of evidence.
Police also released a brief surveillance video that shows Shen walking into an apartment building. The video was captured several hours before Shen’s last known whereabouts. Police said she was wearing the same clothes when her body was found.
Foster called for the public to come forward with any video shot in the Central Park area between 6 p.m. on July 18 and 1 a.m. on July 19.
“People may think what they have is insignificant, but we have intimate details of the investigation and the circumstances around it. Those are the pieces of the puzzle we are looking for to further aid in filling our investigating theory,” she said.
Investigators have urged Burnaby residents to exercise caution, especially when it comes to their children. Kids are encouraged to check in frequently with their parents.
Neighbour Codey Gladson has lived across from Central Park all his life. He said he avoids the area as much as possible.
“Most days I would choose to walk around rather than through it, just because it’s so dark,” he told CTV Vancouver.
Area residents said it’s unusual for this kind of incident to occur in the community.
Burnaby RCMP superintendent Chuck McDonald said police have stepped up their presence in the area following Shen’s death. He also called on residents to take precautions, such as avoiding streets at times when they are deserted and walking in pairs or groups when possible.
“We are focusing on public safety here, as well as the investigation,” he said. “I just want the community to know the Burnaby RCMP will do everything to keep you safe, but we can’t do it alone.”
Foster offered few details about the Shen family, saying only that the thoughts of investigators are with them during this difficult time.
“The family, they are in pain. They are suffering the loss of their daughter, their sister,” she said. “They are learning to cope in these hard times.”
