EARLY LIFE:
Rachel Russell was born in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada to Daniel and Elva. The family, who are of Mi’kmaq heritage, moved a few kilometres away to Port Hope, where Rachel and her siblings – Robbie, Shelley, Cindy and Tracy – lived a typical middle-class upbringing.
Rachel was outgoing, bubbly and full of life. When speaking with the media, her family once recounted that, when she was 13, she and a friend hitchhiked to New York to attend Woodstock ’99, without their parents’ knowledge.
In adulthood, Rachel became a single mother to a young son. While close with her former partner, she lived with her parents in Campbellcroft, where she worked as a dog groomer. This choice of career came as no surprise, as the young woman was an animal lover who’d previously been employed by the local Humane Society.
Just prior to her death, Rachel had been struggling with health and addiction issues. After complaining of stomach pains, she underwent surgery for a burst appendix. During the procedure, it was discovered she had bowel cancer. The young mother was prescribed OxyContin, a strong painkiller to which she became addicted. While she tried to get help and attend rehab, she found it difficult to find a place that could help her get clean while she was battling cancer.
MURDER:
On November 12, 2007, an individual was looking for empty beer bottles along a remote path in Cobourg. The location, near the intersection of Ontario and Division streets, was close to the east-west railway tracks, which are known to be frequented by drug dealers and users. During their search, this person came across the remains of an unidentified woman.
Word of the discovery hit the local media. At the time, Shelley was driving a taxi for the family’s cab company when she heard the report. Realizing she hadn’t heard from her sister in a while, she called the Ontario Provincial Police and gave officers a description of Rachel’s tattoos. It was then that the body was identified as the 29-year-old.
An autopsy determined Rachel had died from blunt force trauma a couple of weeks prior to her remains being discovered. It’s currently the belief of the OPP that she was killed at another location in mid-October, before being dumped where she was found.
INVESTIGATION:
The OPP immediately launched an investigation into Rachel’s death. Evidence led them to execute a search warrant on a nearby home, but this yielded nothing. A man by the name of Wayne Ryman was also arrested and charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was dropped seven months later, as the Crown believed it would be difficult to secure a conviction.
Investigators say the search for Rachel’s murderer is still ongoing. They’ve spoken to hundreds of individuals and regularly contact the Russell family to keep them abreast of the investigation. The 29-year-old’s loved ones believe it’s likely that she knew the person(s) who killed her and that her tendency to speak her mind may have been a factor in her death.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
The OPP is currently offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for Rachel’s murder.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Branch of the OPP at either +1 (888) 310-1122 or (705) 329-6111. Tips can also be called into the Cobourg Detachment at (905) 372-5421 or Crime Stoppers at +1 (800) 222-8477.
Image Credit: OPP
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