Century-Old Mystery Solved: Saskatoon Police Identify the 'Woman in the Well'

A mystery that has haunted Saskatoon for a century has finally been put to rest.

 

Cindy Camp’s great-grandmother was only a name on the family tree until police called.

 

An investigator told her it was believed Alice Spence had been killed more than 105 years ago, her body dumped in a well in Saskatchewan.

 

Camp and her daughters were asked in the summer to provide DNA samples. They matched.

 

“I was stunned, in disbelief,” Camp said in a phone interview from her home in Sherwood Park, Alta.

 

She said her father knew nothing of Spence, and his mother never talked about the woman — her mother.

 

The Saskatoon Police Service announced a historic breakthrough in a case that has captivated and puzzled generations of residents.

 

Investigators have officially identified the victim long known only as the 'Woman in the well'.

 

This remarkable development means a 100 year murder is solved, bringing a somber sense of closure to a dark chapter in the city's past.

 

The case dates back to the early 20th century, a time when the city was vastly different, yet the questions surrounding the unidentified woman remained the same.

 

Her discovery was a shocking event at the time, but without the tools of modern forensics, her identity remained locked away by the passage of time.

 

The case file became a piece of local legend, a chilling reminder of an unsolved crime.

 

Now, thanks to advancements in DNA technology and forensic genealogy, investigators were able to achieve what was once considered impossible.

 

Detectives with the cold case unit dedicated countless hours, revisiting the scant evidence with fresh eyes and new scientific methods.

 

It was a painstaking process that connected the victim to living relatives, finally giving her a name and a story.

 

For the Saskatoon Police Service, this is more than just closing an old file; it is a testament to their unwavering commitment to justice, no matter how much time has passed.

 

The successful identification sends a powerful message that no victim is ever truly forgotten.

 

While details about the victim's identity are being handled with sensitivity, the resolution of this historical crime has resonated deeply throughout Saskatchewan.

 

It highlights the profound impact that scientific innovation can have on historical crimes and the enduring human need for answers.

 

This was a case many believed would remain a mystery forever.

 

The 'Woman in the well' is no longer just a haunting moniker but a person whose life and tragic end can now be properly remembered.

 

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