CANADA Canada - Sonia Varaschin, 42, Orangeville, 29 Aug 2010 - #3

[2soccermom]

Why did we have to wait so long to see this picture? Did the police not receive it until now? If they showed it shortly after the crime, it might have jogged someone’s memory. Hmmm my neighbour has a car like that. But 10 years later, I don’t remember what car I was driving back then. What would be the harm in showing it closer to when the crime happened? What have they gained by waiting this long to show it?

I wonder how many other businesses and homes in the area had cameras? We’re they asked to check or share their recordings? Are there more things to see? Can we stop getting crumbs once every few years? I wish the police would show us what they got. Gee, it might solve the crime! I know they have their reasons but I just don’t understand this one.

Yes, it would be helpful to see the image/ digital info --
including having precise time and location of travel, if that info is available.
Keep in mind this image is of Sonia's car being driven. I don't think we've ever had any intimation that the perp's car was sighted nor confirmation that there even was a second vehicle (belonging to the perp) --
(I believe there was. I think walking, even in early hours -? - would have made the perp hyper-visible.)

We know from the forensic evidence (blood in the trunk, etc) that he transported Sonia in her vehicle from the townhouse. Different folks have different theories as to whether the perp or perps had their own vehicle or were on foot at the location where Sonia's car was found. Again, my thoughts are the former, but I won't re-hash here. These different theories are tied to varying assumptions around whether the perp is/was local (walkable to the townhouse) or had to drive to the area.

It would be a major development to have any info on a vehicle other than Sonia's. Many folks here may remember some early discussion on the white van that was spotted on camera in the area in the early morning -- LE fairly quickly released that vehicle from interest.

 

[Gina20]

Were there ever any problems with people playing AirSoft in the field behind Sonia's townhouse?

I noticed an article from September 2010 about a young Shelburne man charged with robbery using an Airsoft gun. Not saying this is related. Just thinking of things that might have gone on in that field, which have not already been discussed.

 

[Georgia8]

There must be something in the nature of the crime scene (s) that warranted help from the FBI and brought about such an intense and expensive investigation surely? For obvious reasons they're not going to tell us but I suspect something unusual, unnatural? I mean we already have the strange moving of the body and now know that the suspect (singular imo) is driving her car in a way that could invite a traffic stop so he is obviously very pent up. What are the chances there is not something odd or extremely violent about the crime scene.

 

[Georgia8]

Just watched the Crime Beat video am way behind.

1. Det. says the crime started in the bedroom but included other areas of the house I get the impression he doesn't just the route of egress to get her out the door. I can't quite understand what that could mean because he also says she didn't stand a chance. The Mom seems to suggest that she knows S. was found with the nightgown on am I correct?

2. I can't help wondering if S. at 42 was half thinking of having a child on her own and her romantic explorations were partly oriented that way. After all the boyfriend is leaving you would need to explore a new relationship see if it could leave to marriage and children so at least 44-45. I took mixed DNA to mean mixed with at least two male specimens most likely including the departing boyfriend. Could S. have been pregnant I realize we can't know.

3. I think the photo of her perched on the edge of the cliff/crop was taking by the departing boyfriend soon before her murder? Does S. look completely comfortable sitting there? Lots of people have died in falls off hiking cliffs when things get rocky. Obviously it didn't happen just thinking.....

4. I can't think of a reason for the boyfriend to kill her though after he is leaving her and leaving the country and has a family to go home to. I don't think it's him.

 

[dotr]

Hmmm, not just an'' unusual type of crime in Canada'', but a highly unusual one.
re-post rbbm.
Dec 16, 2010
Police Reveal Possible Traits Of Sonia Varaschin’s Killer - CityNews Toronto
''Pritchard said Varaschin’s case was the subject of a three-day summit earlier this month involving criminal profiling experts, including members of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation’s behavioural analysis unit and “very senior” homicide investigators from the provincial, York Region, Toronto and Ottawa police forces.

Authorities have come up with a few theories about the person who murdered Varaschin, a 42-year-old nurse. Pritchard said the killer is likely very familiar with the Orangeville area, particularly Beech Grove Sideroad in Caledon, where Varaschin’s remains were discovered on Sept. 5.

“He may be comfortable there,” Pritchard said.

The OPP investigator also said the killer likely displayed specific and unusual behaviours around the time of Varaschin’s murder, Aug. 29 and 30th and the day her remains were discovered.


Pritchard said this person may have had some unexplained absences from work or from other regular activities around that time. This person may have increased their use of alcohol and/or drugs and may have appeared either irritable or anxious.

Police also believe the killer may have moved away from the area recently and/or cut social interactions.''

“In Canada this type of crime is highly unusual,” Pritchard said in response to a question about the amount of resources dedicated to this case.''

 

[Georgia8]

Hmmm, not just an'' unusual type of crime in Canada'', but a highly unusual one.
re-post rbbm.
Dec 16, 2010
Police Reveal Possible Traits Of Sonia Varaschin’s Killer - CityNews Toronto
''Pritchard said Varaschin’s case was the subject of a three-day summit earlier this month involving criminal profiling experts, including members of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation’s behavioural analysis unit and “very senior” homicide investigators from the provincial, York Region, Toronto and Ottawa police forces.

Authorities have come up with a few theories about the person who murdered Varaschin, a 42-year-old nurse. Pritchard said the killer is likely very familiar with the Orangeville area, particularly Beech Grove Sideroad in Caledon, where Varaschin’s remains were discovered on Sept. 5.

“He may be comfortable there,” Pritchard said.

The OPP investigator also said the killer likely displayed specific and unusual behaviours around the time of Varaschin’s murder, Aug. 29 and 30th and the day her remains were discovered.


Pritchard said this person may have had some unexplained absences from work or from other regular activities around that time. This person may have increased their use of alcohol and/or drugs and may have appeared either irritable or anxious.

Police also believe the killer may have moved away from the area recently and/or cut social interactions.''

“In Canada this type of crime is highly unusual,” Pritchard said in response to a question about the amount of resources dedicated to this case.''

 

[Georgia8]

What do you think they mean by that? Is what we know enough or is something undisclosed which prompts that comment?

 

[Deleted member 275109]

BEHIND THE CRIMES: Who killed Sonia Varaschin? Eleven years later investigators hunt for answers

New article. 11 years.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

$50,000 reward still being offered by police. Call 1-888-310-1122 if you know who did this. It’s a nice chunk of change. If someone was able to do this, think of what else they are capable of? How will you feel if they do it again and you could have stopped it? If you know who did this, or have a theory, share it anonymously. $50,000 buys a nice car. You can claim the reward without disclosing your identity. Call now and get it off your chest. You will feel a lot better.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

On Shelly Loder’s page on this site, a member called Hazel suggests:
“Did the perp(s) park his car behind GH, walked to Sonia's townhouse, drove her car with her body to the GH location, then moved her body into his car, and drove to the Caledon location in his car ?”
I’ve never thought of this! It would be nice if LE had released more info, perhaps if they found tire marks or any other evidence to suggest that only her car was used. If anyone else’s car was used, maybe it left evidence on Sonia eg. hair, dirt, DNA of some sort from the car or it’s trunk.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

I think Hazel’s theory suggests planning though. From what LE has released, the killer was not organized or planned. Who knows? It is a possibility.

 

[Gina20]

On Shelly Loder’s page on this site, a member called Hazel suggests:
“Did the perp(s) park his car behind GH, walked to Sonia's townhouse, drove her car with her body to the GH location, then moved her body into his car, and drove to the Caledon location in his car ?”
I’ve never thought of this! It would be nice if LE had released more info, perhaps if they found tire marks or any other evidence to suggest that only her car was used. If anyone else’s car was used, maybe it left evidence on Sonia eg. hair, dirt, DNA of some sort from the car or it’s trunk.

Sonia had a cat. It is likely cat hair got on her clothes, transferred to her vehicle, and to the killer. Too late to be of use now.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

Gina! Something as simple as that could be a good lead. I hope LE drop by and read here when they are out of ideas. Cat hair is difficult to get out of your car. Even after you clean it, there’s still strands that seem to float around for a very long time. If LE have someone they suspect who shouldn’t have been in Sonia’s house or car, they could still check that person’s vehicle for car hair. Although if they are reading this, they are probably vacuuming soon. I hope they kept samples of Sonia’s cat hair. I wonder if the cat is still around?

 

[Track]

Copied from WS Toronto Crimes thread: “On November 9th, 1993, 39-year-old Catherine [Irene] Clark was beaten and strangled to death in her eighth-floor apartment at 200 Wellesley St. in downtown Toronto. Security guards discovered her body sprawled on her bed. Police believed she knew her killer and admitted him to her apartment. Clark, an unemployed registered nurse, frequently used telephone and newspaper dating services, and the theory is her killer was a date with whom she had a violent altercation.”

 

[whiterhino]

Hmmm, not just an'' unusual type of crime in Canada'', but a highly unusual one.

“In Canada this type of crime is highly unusual,” Pritchard said in response to a question about the amount of resources dedicated to this case.''

RS&BBM to say this crime seems extremely violent and rare yet... check out this thread: "Unsolved Murders Of Young People In London, Ontario" CANADA - Canada - Unsolved murders of young people in London, Ont, 1960s-70s

There are a number of similarities between these older cold cases and the case of SV. I'm NOT saying they're related or the same perpetrator(s) but these types of violent crimes are not new to Canada.

Mixed DNA? Could mean a mixture of SV and her killer. Could be more than one "contributor". Hopefully the DNA they have is significant like blood or tissue. I hope Sonia scratched the hell out of her perpetrator!

I'm still holding out hope for Parabon Nanolabs. Maybe they can't match the DNA to something in their labs but surely they could help create some kind of genetic profile (hair/eye colour, approx age etc). Based off the info within this article, I can see why their lab isn't as popular as it once was... too bad considering their work is solving cases: The controversial company using DNA to sketch the faces of criminals

 

[Gina20]

RS&BBM to say this crime seems extremely violent and rare yet... check out this thread: "Unsolved Murders Of Young People In London, Ontario" CANADA - Canada - Unsolved murders of young people in London, Ont, 1960s-70s

There are a number of similarities between these older cold cases and the case of SV. I'm NOT saying they're related or the same perpetrator(s) but these types of violent crimes are not new to Canada.

Mixed DNA? Could mean a mixture of SV and her killer. Could be more than one "contributor". Hopefully the DNA they have is significant like blood or tissue. I hope Sonia scratched the hell out of her perpetrator!

I'm still holding out hope for Parabon Nanolabs. Maybe they can't match the DNA to something in their labs but surely they could help create some kind of genetic profile (hair/eye colour, approx age etc). Based off the info within this article, I can see why their lab isn't as popular as it once was... too bad considering their work is solving cases: The controversial company using DNA to sketch the faces of criminals

I think this might be beyond the scope of Parabon.

"Rare" and "highly unusual"? Sounds like either a specific signature left by the killer, or a specific type of killer.

 

[dotr]

Full page article in today's TS.
July 25 2021
Detectives still say they’ll solve the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin. It’s been 10 years and counting
''Shortly after the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin, OPP investigators held an investigative summit with profilers from the FBI’s famed behavioural analysis unit in Quantico, Va.

Some conclusions were relatively easy:''

 

[Gina20]

Full page article in today's TS.
July 25 2021
Detectives still say they’ll solve the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin. It’s been 10 years and counting
''Shortly after the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin, OPP investigators held an investigative summit with profilers from the FBI’s famed behavioural analysis unit in Quantico, Va.

Some conclusions were relatively easy:''

I can't get past the paywall, but did they mention genetic genealogy or advanced DNA refinements? Until they do, I don't think this case is going anywhere.

 

[jash]

I can't get past the paywall, but did they mention genetic genealogy or advanced DNA refinements? Until they do, I don't think this case is going anywhere.

Detectives still say they’ll solve the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin. It’s been 10 years and counting

Police then said they had collected some 600 DNA samples from men 18 and older in the Orangeville area.

...

The OPP notes that technology has improved since the murder.

“Whatever new technology comes along, we’re on it,” Glassford said.

That includes a system now called Strmix, which has been called “game-changer” DNA forensic software.

...one of its strengths is that it lets investigators unravel DNA mixtures that had previously been considered too complex to unravel.

That could include cases when the blood of several people is mingled at a crime scene.

It could also include minute “touch DNA” found after surfaces like doorknobs are swabbed.​

 

[whiterhino]

Detectives still say they’ll solve the murder of Orangeville nurse Sonia Varaschin. It’s been 10 years and counting

Police then said they had collected some 600 DNA samples from men 18 and older in the Orangeville area.

...

The OPP notes that technology has improved since the murder.

“Whatever new technology comes along, we’re on it,” Glassford said.

That includes a system now called Strmix, which has been called “game-changer” DNA forensic software.

...one of its strengths is that it lets investigators unravel DNA mixtures that had previously been considered too complex to unravel.

That could include cases when the blood of several people is mingled at a crime scene.

It could also include minute “touch DNA” found after surfaces like doorknobs are swabbed.​

Amazing! Wonder if Orangeville LE have submitted anything yet? What exactly does it mean once they separate the sample?

It would be interesting to learn how much of the FBI profile aligns with the owner of the DNA.

Police Reveal Possible Traits Of Sonia Varaschin’s Killer - CityNews Toronto

" Authorities have come up with a few theories about the person who murdered Varaschin, a 42-year-old nurse. Pritchard said the killer is likely very familiar with the Orangeville area, particularly Beech Grove Sideroad in Caledon, where Varaschin’s remains were discovered on Sept. 5.

“He may be comfortable there,” Pritchard said.

The OPP investigator also said the killer likely displayed specific and unusual behaviours around the time of Varaschin’s murder, Aug. 29 and 30th and the day her remains were discovered.

Pritchard said this person may have had some unexplained absences from work or from other regular activities around that time. This person may have increased their use of alcohol and/or drugs and may have appeared either irritable or anxious.


Police also believe the killer may have moved away from the area recently and/or cut social interactions.

Pritchard wouldn’t paint a more specific picture for fear of eliminating potential suspects. "