Sketch of recent Pacific Spirit attack suspect released
Police do not think there is a link between this month's assault and the death of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry in 2009
Police say there doesn't appear to be a link between an assault in Pacific Spirit Park at the beginning of the month and the death of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry four years ago.
RCMP say an 18-year-old woman was jogging near Trail 3 close to UBC on April 1 when she was approached by a man who asked her for the time. The man then suddenly grabbed her and threw her to the ground, but then quickly ran off.
The young woman suffered minor scrapes and the motive for the attack is unknown, but it happened two days before a press conference marking the fourth anniversary of Ladner-Beaudry's death.
Ladner-Beaudry had been seen jogging in the park a short time before she died, and her body was found on a trail at the southeast corner of the park.
RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen says the attacks do not appear to be connected.
"At this point we haven't got any reason to believe that the two may be connected. They happened at opposite ends of the park and until we identify this suspect — the Integrated Homicide Team is receiving information in regards to this investigation — beyond that, they're not directly involved."
Thiessen says police didn't alert the public of the recent attack for several weeks because they were going through what he calls 'investigative steps' and were hoping to identify the suspect without the public's help.
On Wednesday, police released a sketch of the suspect, who is described as aboriginal man in his early- to mid-20s, about 5-9", with brown eyes, a round face, and he was wearing glasses with a round, black frame.