High-profile Vancouver murder remains unsolved 15 years later
Posted April 3, 2024 7:54 am.
Last Updated April 3, 2024 2:42 pm.
On April 3, 2009, a massive police presence converged on Vancouver’s busy Pacific Spirit Regional Park near UBC. Someone had found the body of a woman who had been attacked while out for a jog on a sunny morning.
That woman was 53-year-old Wendy Ladner-Beaudry and 15 years later, her killer or killers have yet to be caught.
Ladner-Beaudry was a married, mother-of-two and sister of former city councillor and mayoral candidate Peter Ladner.
Police have never announced any breakthroughs in the case, suspect description, or motive.
Initially, the investigation was handled by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), but the file has been transferred to the RCMP’s Major Crime Unit.
CityNews has reached out several times for an update but has yet to hear back.
More than a decade ago, the Ladner family announced a $30,000 reward for information within a 60-day window that would lead to an arrest and charges. The money was offered up again just a few years ago, but it remains unclaimed.
“Wendy was always the glue in the family. Everybody got along with her, keeping us all together,” said Peter Ladner in a 2011 RCMP video posted to YouTube.
“We would like to ask anybody who’s out there who might have any idea of somebody they know, they might be a little bit suspicious of something that happened around April 3rd (2009) in that park who might have some idea that somebody they know would be involved, to please come forward. Give us some comfort and make that place just a little bit safer for the whole community, which is something Wendy would have really wanted,” added Ladner.
Investigators ruled out Ladner-Beaudry’s husband as a potential suspect in the case.
The RCMP said it had identified 80 persons of interest in the surrounding area in the days following her murder who were considered “high priority,” however investigators never got the answers they were looking for. That number was expanded to hundreds of people as the investigation dragged on.
Anyone with any information about this case is urged to call the E Division Major Crime tip line at 778.290.5291, or CrimeStoppers at 1.800.222.8477.
