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TOM ZILLICH’S ‘THE BUZZ’:
Look familiar? It’s gonna sound familiar too.
PLUS: Delta-raised siren jazzes up B.C. stages, 17
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010
MURDER/Teen slain in North Delta
SHOCK SUBSIDES, ANXIETY RAMPS UP THE INVESTIGATION: Assaults, killings studied but still no links to Laura
THE AFTERMATH: Hells Angels attend funeral, Mackie Park will be pruned
Tom ZYTARUK
Tom ZYTARUK
SURREY – No links yet. At least, not any that police are sharing with the public. Delta homicide investigators have been swapping notes with the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and the Surrey RCMP on recent assaults and slayings to determine if there are any possible links with Laura Szendrei’s murder in North Delta, but so far they’ve found no connections. “It’s a part of doing due diligence,” said Sgt. Sharlene Brooks, spokeswoman for the Delta police. The Delta police and IHIT compared Szendrei’s killing with the unsolved murder of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry in Vancouver 18 months ago. Cpl. Dale Carr, spokesman for IHIT, noted similarities between the cases: “Daytime, park, female...” But that’s apparently where they end. Laura Szendrei, 15, fell victim to a vicious broad daylight attack in Mackie Park last Saturday afternoon and died early Sunday in hospital, with her family by her side.
DELTA – “The tough part is being patient.” That’s the word from Delta Mayor Lois Jackson as municipal police continue their investigation into the murder of 15-year-old Laura Szendrei. Police have received more than 150 tips so far, Delta police Sgt. Sharlene Brooks said Thursday that crime investigation “takes time. We need to be methodical, thorough.” A private funeral service was held for Szendrei on Wednesday. It was noted at a police press conference Thursday that members of the Hells Angels had attended the funeral. Asked what police make of that, Brooks was non-committal. “We’re considering all possibilities,” she said. Meanwhile, Jackson said she’s “got a lot of faith” in the “guys and gals” working on the case, noting the department has a “good clearance rate” on criminal investigations. Police had yet to identify a suspect or make an arrest at press time. They want to speak with anyone who was in Mackie Park between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and are asking them to call Delta police at 604-946-4411.
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
see POLICE page 3
SGT. SHARLENE BROOKS/ “It’s a part of doing due diligence... there doesn’t appear to be a link.”
see ‘TRAUMA DOG’ page 3
MAYOR LOIS JACKSON/ “They’re trying to normalize the children ... ease (them) back into a normal routine and a normal life.”
UBCM
Vote keeps council terms at three years Ted COLLEY Staff Reporter
WHISTLER – Three it is. A motion to extend municipal council terms to four years failed in a secret ballot Thursday at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Whistler. The idea was rejected in a 354 to 280 vote despite the support of the UBCM executive and the recommendation of a provincial-municipal task force earlier this year. Thursday’s secret ballot was needed to settle the matter after two show-of-hands votes Wednesday proved so contentious they were scrapped. Thursday also saw the City of Surrey win a UBCM award of excellence. Surrey, one of eight winners out of 75 contestants, came out on top in the Best Practices, General category for a bylaw controlling erosion and sediment on construction sites. The bylaw was developed in consultation with the industry, consultants and various government agencies. Best practice awards recognize significant improvement or revision of an existing municipal program or service. Members of the UBCM board and field experts in each category evaluate submissions. The awards were presented Thursday at the UBCM’s 107th annual convention in Whistler. tcolley@thenownewspaper.com