'She’s worth it': Family continues to seek answers in Saskatoon woman's death 60 years ago
Wednesday marks 60 years since the murder of Saskatoon woman Alexandra Wiwcharuk — and her family still hopes to find her killer.
“I believe it's worth it and she’s worth it and making sure that people do the right thing. People who know something. Because believe me, there are people out there who know and some of them, we know that you know,” Patty Storie told CTV News.
Storie, the niece of Wiwcharuk, was three when the 23-year-old nurse was killed.
She remembers her family’s devastation when the body was found beaten, sexually assaulted and buried in a shallow grave near the river. Storie, now living in Texas, has joined her two sisters living in different cities to keep the search alive for those responsible.
Storie is committed to the quest for justice because her grandmother and Wiwcharuk's mother, Anna Wiwcharuk, died in 1998 without any closure, which she says adds to the family’s heartache.
Storie says the family realizes the murderer may be old or even dead, but they still feel it’s important for the person to be exposed to the public and their family.
“They need to know that their loved one did this to Alexandra Wiwcharuk,” Storie said.
Each year on May 18, family and friends visit Wiwcharuk's gravesite at Woodlawn Cemetery for a memorial. Since the pandemic started, travel back to Saskatoon hasn’t been possible, but local friends Michelle Sanjenko and Jim Lucier have continued the tradition.
Saskatoon Police Service Staff Sgt. Grant Obst said they still get calls from the public with information about the death, but he can’t give any specifics about the case, which is still considered open.
“Just the fact that we’re at the anniversary date has generated at least two phone calls this morning from people who have seen this on the news,” Obst says.
Police face significant challenges with a case this old, but continue to look for clues that may solve it, he said.
“We know that many of the people that were involved or interviewed are no longer with us, but there may be somebody out there that has one little piece of information. We always hope that the bad guy is still alive and decide he doesn’t want to take this secret to his grave,” Obst said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Baby and grandparents killed in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
An infant and the child's grandparents – aged 55 and 60 – were all killed when a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. caused a crash involving at least six vehicles, the Special Investigations Unit says. The driver of the suspect vehicle also died.
Freeland tables motion previewing omnibus budget bill
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass the sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget.
Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. If he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
T. rex is at the centre of a debate over dinosaur intelligence
Surmising even the physical appearance of a dinosaur - or any extinct animal - based on its fossils is a tricky proposition, with so many uncertainties involved. Assessing a dinosaur's intelligence, considering the innumerable factors contributing to that trait, is exponentially more difficult.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
This is how many dentists have actually signed up for Canada's new free dental program
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.