Hamilton police say partial human remains have been found in a landfill subject to an extensive search for a missing woman they believe was disposed of through the garbage system.
Police confirmed Thursday they have found human remains at Glanbrook Landfill in Caledonia, Ont., but added investigators are still waiting for confirmation on the victim’s identity.
Since Feb. 24, police have been looking through Glanbrook for any signs of 40-year-old Shalini Singh. The search was supposed to end on April 18, but was extended.
An area of 5,000 cubic metres of waste was identified as the search area. The partial remains were found on May 21, police said.
Police added investigators are working closely with the Office of the Coroner, the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, and the Centre of Forensic Sciences to examine the remains.
DNA testing is underway to identify who the remains belong to, but police said Singh’s family has been made aware of the development.
The search continues at the landfill site, and a revised completion date will be determined based on ongoing findings, police said.
Singh was last seen by family and friends at around 7:10 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2024. She was reported missing by her family on Dec. 10, police said.
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Investigators said at the time of her disappearance, Singh was living with her common-law boyfriend at a downtown Hamilton apartment building.
Singh’s boyfriend was also reported missing at the same time, but was found on Dec. 11 after going to a family member’s home outside in Halton Region, police said.
Investigators said in February that Singh’s boyfriend has “not cooperated with the investigation” into her disappearance and has “provided no information that could assist in locating Shalini.” He was also known to police for previous incidents before Singh disappeared, police said in April video update.
Police said they searched their building several times, and combed through hours of the building’s surveillance videos from 40 different cameras.
The videos were used to trace Singh and her boyfriend’s movements in the days around her disappearance, police said.
They noted that there is no CCTV footage showing Singh leaving her building after Dec. 4. She was last seen entering the apartment on Dec. 2.
Hamilton police acting Det. Sgt. Daryl Reid said in April “evidence suggests that she may have been met with foul play inside of her apartment and later removed from the building through the garbage disposal system.”
The majority of the waste collected from the apartment building had already been moved to Glanbrook, police said.
— with files from Gabby Rodrigues
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