A woman from B. C. who was discovered dead near Rockwood, Ont., in 2005 may have visited a mall in Midland and a truck stop in Mississauga shortly before her death, according to police as they seek new tips in this cold case.
Tammy Eileen Penner was identified in 2024 as a missing person, aged 41, from Chilliwack, B. C., after law enforcement utilized advanced DNA testing.
Her remains were found beneath a Woods-brand sleeping bag at a rest area off Highway 7 between Guelph and Rockwood on August 28, 2005.
Authorities believe she had been moved a short distance into the woods about a month prior to the discovery of her body. She did not have any identification or jewelry on her, but it is thought that her clothing – which included black shorts, a beige tank top, white underwear and a peach-coloured bra – was bought around Montreal.
In an announcement made Thursday, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provided new details regarding the last sightings of Penner.
According to OPP, during her travels from B. C., Penner went to Mountainview Mall in Midland, Ont., on Thursday, June 30, 2005. Then on or around Saturday July 30, 2005, she might have been dropped off by a transport truck driver at an now-closed Husky Truck Stop located on Highway 401 and Dixie Road in Mississauga.
“Tammy was seen near a cream- or beige-coloured transport truck shortly after being dropped off. She may have been wearing a beige tank top with black corduroy fabric shorts and carrying a blue sleeping bag,” the release stated.
Investigators are urging anyone who may have spotted Penner during that time or has any information regarding her whereabouts back then to reach out to the Wellington County OPP.
“Many questions remain unanswered,” Det. Insp. Randy Gaynor mentioned in the release.
“We’re asking anyone who remembers seeing Tammy to please come forward; no matter how small you think your information might be. Her family has waited many years for answers and our investigative team is dedicated to finding the truth and giving them closure.”
Penner was reported missing to RCMP on February 7, 2005. Before she vanished, she lived in Chilliwack and Abbotsford.
The cause of death is still unknown but deemed suspicious according to Gaynor. It appears that prior to her death she had suffered fractures in her left cheekbone, nose and left eye socket which had healed over time according to police reports.
Texas lab offers ‘certainty from crime scenes’
The latest significant lead came in August 2024 when advanced DNA testing conducted by Texas forensic lab Othram confirmed Penner’s identity.
<p. David Mittelman, CEO of Othram described their technology as unique at that time.“We build technology that allows investigators to get certainty from crime scenes and from these kinds of other forensics cases-some involving human remains,” he told .
Othram claims its methods can link DNA back to individuals even many years later using tools like cheek swabs which aren’t typically used in regular consumer DNA testing processes.A memorial at the rest stop where Penner’s body was found near Guelph has been maintained by a member of the public for years. The Rockwood Knights of Columbus created it to remember the woman years before her identity was revealed. (Ontario Provincial Police)
Years ago, the Rockwood Knights of Columbus established a memorial at the site where Penner’s body was discovered; it continues being cared for by an individual even today.
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