On December 13th, 2001, a woman’s body was discovered off a rural road in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Unidentified at first, police noted the distinctive rose tattoo on her back, and initially believed that the woman had died of a drug overdose.
Meanwhile, the family of thirty-one-year-old Angela Williams was wondering what had happened to the troubled mother of three. Emerging from a dysfunctional family, Angela had been struggling to make a good life for herself and her daughters, living in a small Vancouver apartment, working three jobs, and attending hairdressing school, but it seemed that her demons were always getting the better of her. She had developed a drug habit, and had fallen into prostitution in order to pay back her drug debts. Her children were being looked after by a relative named Margaret Green.
As Christmas began to approach, Angela’s family became increasingly certain that something was wrong, as they had not heard from Angela for weeks, and knew that she would not have willingly missed her daughter’s birthday. They started passing out flyers in her neighborhood and asking around to see if anyone had seen or heard from her.
While the family was canvassing, they happened to speak to a homeless man, who informed them about the Jane Doe that had been found on the side of the road in Surrey. Relatives contacted the authorities on December 26th, at which point it was confirmed that the remains were those of Angela Williams.
An autopsy had invalidated the drug overdose theory, as the only hint of narcotics found in the body was a week-old trace of cocaine. Further, bruising on the neck discovered at the second autopsy suggested that Angela had been strangled to death, and thus warranted a homicide investigation.
The relatives of Angela Williams have been very vocal in their condemnation of the police, who they allege have not made much effort to solve the murder because the victim was a First Nations woman who was also a drug addict and a sex worker. As previously mentioned, the families of several other victims of similar crimes have had identical complaints, though authorities are adamant that they investigate these crimes with the same vigor and care that they would apply to any other.
As of this writing, no one has been charged in the murder of Angela Williams.
Crime Immemorial 