Cathy Berard 61, Vancouver, July 5 1996

http://www.vpdcoldcases.ca/cathy-berard/

"Early on the morning of July 5, 1996, 61-year-old Cathy Berard was found by a jogger on the school grounds of David Thompson High School, bleeding and unconscious.

Lying in hospital, with her eyes swollen shut, her jaw and her cheekbone so badly broken that she needed reconstructive surgery, investigators were desperate to find out who she was. It would be six days before they learned her name, thanks to the composite drawing that was released to the media. One of her five children barely recognized her, as her injuries were so extreme.

Cathy’s sons had visited her at home on the evening of July 4th, 1996, leaving her around 9:00 p.m. It’s believed she may have headed out in a purple blouse and green sweatpants to go to the liquor store at 47th and Victoria or at Kingsgate Mall.

Investigators also believe the assault might have begun on the sidewalk in the 6900 block of Argyle Street. There are signs she was dragged to the southeast corner of the school, where she was violently physically and sexually assaulted.

Cathy Berard regained consciousness, but she was moved into a long term care facility. Her injuries would continue to plague her, and eventually led to her death on January 2, 1999 – 18 months after she was attacked.

Sadly, at the time that she died, a homicide victim had to die within a year and a day of their attack to be determined a homicide. Cathy Berard’s killer will only ever face possible charges of aggravated sexual assault".

How very senseless and tragic. Surely there was DNA evidence left behind,was there not?

dotr said:

http://www.vpdcoldcases.ca/cathy-berard/

"Early on the morning of July 5, 1996, 61-year-old Cathy Berard was found by a jogger on the school grounds of David Thompson High School, bleeding and unconscious.

Lying in hospital, with her eyes swollen shut, her jaw and her cheekbone so badly broken that she needed reconstructive surgery, investigators were desperate to find out who she was. It would be six days before they learned her name, thanks to the composite drawing that was released to the media. One of her five children barely recognized her, as her injuries were so extreme.

Cathy’s sons had visited her at home on the evening of July 4th, 1996, leaving her around 9:00 p.m. It’s believed she may have headed out in a purple blouse and green sweatpants to go to the liquor store at 47th and Victoria or at Kingsgate Mall.

Investigators also believe the assault might have begun on the sidewalk in the 6900 block of Argyle Street. There are signs she was dragged to the southeast corner of the school, where she was violently physically and sexually assaulted.

Cathy Berard regained consciousness, but she was moved into a long term care facility. Her injuries would continue to plague her, and eventually led to her death on January 2, 1999 – 18 months after she was attacked.

Sadly, at the time that she died, a homicide victim had to die within a year and a day of their attack to be determined a homicide. Cathy Berard’s killer will only ever face possible charges of aggravated sexual assault".

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Oh my goodness, this is sooo horrible!!!!!! Who did this? I hope we can help here at WS...thanks for posting this, Dotr.

I'm not very good at working cold cases, but I would start with researching similar crimes in the area during this time. Also, any other possible news articles about Cathy's case.

Updated July 2 2014...

http://www.vpdcoldcases.ca/cathy-berard/

"Cathy BERARD – Case Overview

Imagine looking at a composite drawing in the newspaper of someone who was violently assaulted and now unconscious in hospital, and realizing it is your mother.

Early on the morning of July 5, 1996, 61-year-old Cathy Berard was found by a jogger on the school grounds of David Thompson High School, bleeding and unconscious.

Lying in hospital, with her eyes swollen shut, her jaw and her cheekbone so badly broken that she needed reconstructive surgery, investigators were desperate to find out who she was. It would be six days before they learned her name, thanks to the composite drawing that was released to the media. One of her five children barely recognized her, as her injuries were so extreme.

Cathy’s sons had visited her at home on the evening of July 4th, 1996, leaving her around 9:00 p.m. It’s believed she may have headed out in a purple blouse and green sweatpants to go to the liquor store at 47th and Victoria or at Kingsgate Mall.

Investigators also believe the assault might have begun on the sidewalk in the 6900 block of Argyle Street. There are signs she was dragged to the southeast corner of the school, where she was violently physically and sexually assaulted.

Cathy Berard regained consciousness, but she was moved into a long term care facility. Her injuries would continue to plague her, and eventually led to her death on January 2, 1999 – two and a half years after she was attacked.

Sadly, at the time that she died, a homicide victim had to die within a year and a day of their attack to be determined a homicide. Cathy Berard’s killer will only ever face possible charges of aggravated sexual assault.

This is an ongoing file. Please check back regularly for updates"

It is after 9 pm and the suspect comes upon Berard. This sounds like a crime of convenience. She is alone. It is dark. No one around and an easy target. Grab her on the street and quickly drag her into the bushed area at the school. Since they just happened to cross paths, he knew this area. He frequented/maybe lived in this area. The brutality involved and the fact she was no match for him, it is possible he was in his 30s. He has a history of violence toward women.

22 years have passed. One has to wonder what the DNA says now with today's technology. Someone ALWAYS knows ....

https://globalnews.ca/news/1320465/vpd-cold-case-cathy-berard/
Cathy Berard

“There is somebody out there who knows what happened,” says Claudette Berard. “Maybe after all this time, they would have a change of heart and remember that there are families out there that just want the truth.”

So far the new VPD website has had more than 17,000 hits and it’s generated more than 33 tips.

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July 2 2019 rbbm.
Cold case turns 23: Still no leads in the death of Vancouver's Cathy Berard
"Cathy Berard was 61 years old when she was beaten and sexually assaulted in Vancouver in 1996. She died 2.5 years after the attack."

"It’s been almost 23 years, but Claudette Berard still remembers seeing the photo in the newspaper.

It accompanied a story about a Jane Doe who had been found on the grounds of a Vancouver high school. The woman’s eyes were swollen shut, and her face misshapen and bruised from a vicious attack, but Berard instantly recognized her mother.

“It was horrific,” she said. “I was scared — I was terrified. It was the most traumatic thing you could feel. You never want to see that type of photo, especially of someone so close.”

“I just really want somebody to come forward — at least give some clues, some background — even if it’s not the criminal themselves, then maybe somebody’s got to know something, a friend of a friend or family member,” she said.

“That’s my last hope, really.”

If you have any information about this case or any cold case, call the Vancouver Police Department’s homicide unit at 604-717-2500, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.