Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) say they’re seeking the driver and possibly occupants of a van suspected to be connected to the death of a Hamilton woman found in a Lincoln, Ont.
Homicide investigators say Jessica Lynn St. Jules, 27, got into a granite-coloured Dodge Grand Caravan in Hamilton the same day her body was found at the side of a Niagara Region rural road.
Prior to her death, St. Jules was seen on surveillance video getting into the vehicle around 4:20 a.m. on June 8 near the Hamilton Public Library on Barton Street East.
“As of right now, we’re able to say that she voluntarily entered the vehicle and there was no struggle or anything of that nature to get her in,” Staff Sgt. Andrew Knevel said.
St. Jules body was found by a resident around 3 p.m. on June 8 near Nineteenth Street and Seventh Avenue.
Detectives have released few details about the investigation but say they’ve made contact with the deceased’s family and other acquaintances.
Knevel says the “Premium Plus SXT” Caravan had tinted rear windows which has made it difficult to determine whether others, other than the driver, are involved.
“We don’t know how many occupants are in the vehicle,” he said.
“There’s clearly a driver, but, the windows are too tinted to determine whether or not there is anyone else.”
The driver is considered a person of interest and appears to be a larger man wearing a distinctive red top with a white stripe, according to NRPS.
Police say St. Jules had connections to Hamilton and Halton Region.
A postmortem examination has been conducted, but not yet complete, according to Knevel.
“There are further examinations and studies that need to be done to determine definitively what the cause of death is,” he explained.
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