Police say the human remains found near a golf course in northeast Edmonton last year have now been identified thanks to DNA sequencing.
The Edmonton Police Service says they belong to Erum Kamal, a 24-year-old woman who was last seen on Aug. 28, 2001, when she disappeared into the North Saskatchewan River.
Her death was determined to be non criminal.
“Our hearts go out to Erum’s family, who have experienced decades of ambiguous loss, grief and trauma, and we hope this conclusion can bring them some measure of healing,” said Acting Staff Sgt. Kevin Harrison with the EPS historical crimes section.
Kamal’s partially unearthed remains were found at a survey site near the Raven Crest Golf and Country Club – around 153 Avenue and 17 Street – on Sept. 26, 2023. Police say an anthropologist determined the partially buried location of the remains was likely due to natural flooding and erosion, not a deliberate burial.
A genetic genealogy process provided ethnic information about the deceased, police say, which allowed investigators to narrow down their search to the potential missing person file from 2001.
Investigators then located the woman’s possible family members in Ontario, who voluntarily provided DNA samples.
“This investigation involved not only investigative genetic genealogy, but a significant amount of detective work to bring to a close, and it is an excellent example of why Project Match is such an important partnership between police, RCMP and the OCME (Office of the Chief Medical Examiner),” Harrison said.
Since launching in August 2023, Project Match reviews all EPS’ historical unidentified human remains investigations, of which there are currently 14 dating back to 1979.