Police in Florida have released new information, including a composite sketch based on DNA evidence, as they continue to investigate the murder of a Toronto couple at their vacation home in 2013.
Hallandale Beach Chief of Police Dwayne Flournoy says police are continuing to investigate the homicide case of Rochelle Wise, 66, and her husband, 71-year-old David Pichosky. Police have not yet made an arrest in the case. Flournoy said police haven’t had new witnesses come forward with tips in “well over a year,” and they are trying to generate new leads.
A neighbour found the couple dead in their condo in Hallandale Beach after they failed to meet friends for lunch. Police said in March 2013 that the couple died of asphyxiation and that “multiple culprits” were involved in the double homicide. They also said that they found DNA evidence linking two women to the crime scene, but ongoing searches of police databases have not yet produced any matches.
“We’ve exhausted our list of potential witnesses, potential suspects,” Flournoy said at a news conference on Thursday.
With no recent tips or leads, police released new information on Thursday, including a composite sketch of one of the women linked to the crime scene. The sketch and profile was created using a new type of DNA technology called phenotyping. The DNA profile indicated that the woman’s ancestry links to southeastern Europe, and suggests her background could be Slavic.
There was not enough DNA found at the scene to create a similar profile of the other woman. However, police said that the DNA indicated the women are not related by blood.
Flournoy also released a composite sketch of a woman who appeared on surveillance cameras in and around the couple’s home the day before they were found dead. Flournoy said the woman appears to be feeding ducks in the rear of the residence.
But Flournoy noted that no one has come forward to say they were feeding ducks in the area.
“This is a close-knit community and we would believe that if that person belonged to the community, they would have come forward already” to identify themselves, the police chief said.
Police are also asking the public if they have seen Wise’s wedding ring, which was believed to be the only item stolen from the home. Showing a photo of the ring, Flournoy explained that it is unique, in that it was fitted with a clasp to allow it to go over, rather than slide onto, the finger.
Police also analyzed a foot impression taken at the crime scene and found that it was an Adidas Supernova shoe that went out of production in 2002.
“A unique shoe to still be worn by someone almost 11 years later,” Flournoy said.
Despite no recent leads, Flournoy said police have a "great deal of information" and are "confident” that they can get a break in the case.
“We’re just one lead away from solving this case.”
