Advances in forensics have led to the identification and arrest of a suspect in the 2007 murder of Tara-Anne Landgraf.
Just after 5 a.m., on Aug. 5, 2007, the body of Tara-Anne was discovered by a passer-by in the 2000 block of Burns Ave. S.E. An autopsy identified the 37-year-old victim and determined she died as a result of stab wounds.
A male DNA profile was identified from forensic evidence collected at the time of her murder. Unfortunately, the unknown male DNA profile did not create a match in the National DNA Data Bank, nor the Crime Scenes Index in 2007. A thorough investigation was completed, but investigators ran out of leads to follow.
As part of the department's ongoing commitment to reviewing unsolved murders, investigators took a fresh look at the case in late 2019. The investigative team worked with forensic specialists, who were able to identify a potential suspect in September 2020.
It is believed that the victim and the suspect did not know each other prior to the attack and that a sexual assault occurred.
On Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, a 29-year-old man was arrested in Edmonton and charged with one count of first-degree murder. As the man was only 16-years-old at the time of the murder, we are unable to identify him under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The man will next appear in Calgary courts today, Tuesday, February 16.
“We never stop in our pursuit of justice for murder victims. As technology advances, we are continuously reviewing unsolved homicides to see how new techniques can be applied to find new leads and bring answers to families of murder victims,” says Homicide Unit Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm. “Investigators have been in touch with Tara-Anne’s loved ones and they are relieved after all this time to have answers in her tragic death.”
We would like to thank the RCMP and the Edmonton Police Service for their assistance in this investigation.
Republished courtesy of Calgary Police.