WATCH ABOVE: An Edmonton police veteran describes the scene of a woman’s death as one of the most horrific he’s ever seen. Lisa Wolansky reports.
EDMONTON — The scene where a 38-year-old woman was found dead Tuesday morning was one of the “most horrific” EPS Staff Sgt. Bill Clark has seen in his more than two decades as a police officer.
“It was gruesome, what was done with her,” Clark said Wednesday afternoon. “The scene is probably one of the most horrific I’ve seen in my career as a police officer and I’ve been to probably a few hundred murder scenes.”
Nadine Skow, 38, was found dead inside her apartment suite in the Central McDougall neighbourhood around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday. Police said her co-workers found her after she failed to show up for work for several days.
READ MORE: Homicide detectives investigating death of woman in central Edmonton
Clark said Skow died of multiple stab wounds and her death has been declared the city’s 13th homicide of the year. Police have charged 38-year-old Silva Koshwal with second-degree murder and indignity to a human body.
“He hasn’t been cooperative since he was arrested last night, hasn’t provided any type of a statement to us. However, we have enough evidence to charge him with the murder,” Clark said.
Police said Skow and Koshwal were involved in a common-law relationship which ended about a year ago.
“I would put this case up to a case of domestic violence,” Clark said. “Definitely our victim had no issues with drugs or anything like that. All accounts, just a great lady, had a great job and everybody liked her.”
“She was an unfortunate victim who met an individual who, for whatever reason, did this to her… I mean, these types of situations where it’s almost a domestic type, there was probably a little bit of jealously or possibly, I would say in this case, some type of rage involved.”
Police believe Skow was killed sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
Clark said the suspect is believed to have shown up to the apartment building, in the area of 106 Avenue and 104 Street, earlier that evening and entered the wrong suite where he was confronted by a woman. Police were not notified.
“She felt bad,” Clark said. “I really couldn’t explain to you why they didn’t call the police.
“They live in this building, they hear a lot of things and I hate to say it, but they almost get used to it. So they feel they don’t want to bother us and we need to change that mindset. You want to bother the police, make the call and let us make that determination.”
Skow is Edmonton’s fifth female homicide victim of the year. On Tuesday, Clark said that number is “inordinately high” compared to previous years, but added the crimes are in no way related.