WINNIPEG — Days after police charged a Winnipeg man with second-degree murder in the disappearance of Christine Wood, officers said they still have not found her body.
On Saturday, Brett Overby, 30, was charged with the murder of Christine Wood, 21. Police believe Wood was killed hours after she disappeared.
On Aug. 19, Wood went missing after a visit to Winnipeg from Oxford House First Nation to accompany a family member to a medical appointment. She never came back to her hotel after going out that evening.
WATCH: Police Chief Danny Smyth says they have still not found Christine Wood’s body
“They were unknown to each other, it was probably a chance meeting, it could have been a very quickly arranged meeting but prior to that, as far as we’re aware, they did not have a relationship,” Sgt. John O’Donovan with the Winnipeg police Homicide Unit said at a media conference Monday.
“I would say not one in twenty trillion chance of her being alive.”
READ MORE: ‘We need her home’: Mother of missing Manitoba woman, Christine Wood makes tearful plea
The case was treated at a missing person’s investigation until January 2017, when the homicide unit took over as lead investigators, Police Chief Danny Smyth said.
Forensic evidence found
On March 21, police issued a search warrant for Overby’s home on 300 block of Burrows Avenue. Officers found evidence supporting Wood had been killed in the home.
READ MORE: Winnipeg police presence remains for third day on Burrows Avenue
Overby was arrested and brought in for questioning. However, he was eventually let go as there wasn’t enough forensic evidence to lay any charges, Smyth said.
On April 6, forensics tests came back and the following day Overby was charged with second-degree murder charges.
“They discovered evidence that led them to believe that she [Wood] was murdered at the residence,” Smyth said.
Although police believe Wood was killed in his home, they do not have any information from the accused on where her body is.
Police said Wood and Overby were unknown to one another prior to Aug. 19.
When asked if Wood could still be alive, investigator Sgt. John O’Donovan said there was a “one in 20 trillion chance.”
WATCH: Investigator Sgt. John O’Donovan discusses case
“We will continue on this investigation until we find her remains,” Smyth said.
WATCH: Winnipeg man faces murder charges in case of Christine Wood
Family devastated
Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson was at the media conference Monday, speaking on behalf of Wood’s family.
“After the most difficult eight months of our lives, we are mourning the loss of our daughter,” North Wilson said in a statement written by Wood’s family.
The family will be in Winnipeg for a vigil on Wednesday.
WATCH: Christine Wood’s mother speaks out after his disappearance
Multiple sightings after disappearance
Police said because there was a lot of media coverage following Wood’s disappearance, there were a number of unconfirmed sightings of people who thought they had seen her.
READ MORE: Missing Manitoba woman, Christine Wood facing ‘personal challenges’: Police
In September the police said there were “multiple sightings of Wood.” They also said she was was facing some “personal challenges” and may be associated with people tied to drug trade.
However according to court documents, Wood was killed around Aug. 20.
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