Slain B.C. teen's cause of death withheld

RCMP are not disclosing the cause of death of an Armstrong, B.C., teen killed Halloween night.

Taylor Van Diest, 18, was found severely beaten near railroad tracks in the town in the province’s southern Interior after leaving home to meet with friends.

Van Diest died later in hospital.

An autopsy was conducted Friday but police, who do not have a suspect, are not revealing the results of the examination.

"Right now, the only people who know the full details of this death are the pathologist, a few investigators and the person or persons responsible for the crime," said RCMP spokesman Gord Molendyk.

Molendyk said police are still trying to piece together the young woman's movements between 6 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. PT Monday.

Police set up a roadblock Thursday night along the same route Van Diest walked before she was attacked.

Drivers were shown pictures of Van Diest in her Halloween costume and the jacket she wore over it in the hope of jogging someone’s memory about what they might have seen if they were in the area the night of the slaying.

Her last text message she sent was at 6 p.m. A passerby noticed her phone on the train tracks and called her family around 7:30 p.m.   Van Diest was found in the bushes about three metres away from the tracks at 8:45 pm.

Memorial Sunday

A memorial is planned this Sunday. Organizers hope police identify a suspect soon because they don't want the community defined by fear or speculation.

"In the news, there has been stuff about youth and bullying and gangs," said Patti Noonan. "Now it's in the schools and they are wondering, is it someone among us, is it someone we know?"

Paul Britton, a city councillor who also who works at the community high school, said he hopes the investigation proceeds quickly.

"I want them to find the person and get this over with. Hopefully they will find it's not someone from the community, because if it is, that will be another issue, another family and friends in crisis. You want it to be someone passing through," Britton said.