Police release sketch of suspect two years after Thelma Krull’s disappearance

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This article was published 27/07/2017 (3005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Is the face staring out from a Winnipeg police media release the last person Thelma Krull saw before she disappeared two years ago?

Homicide unit Sgt. Wes Rommel, who has been in charge of the investigation into Krull’s disappearance from the beginning, thinks so — and on Thursday, he released two composite drawings of the male suspect so Winnipeggers can join the hunt to help police officers find him.

“This is the male we are looking for,” Rommel said.

“We are asking for all the citizens of Winnipeg — and especially the people who live around Civic Park — to think about the people living or being around that area.

“Think hard… we want people to take themselves back to that time.”

Krull, a 57-year-old grandmother, disappeared on July 11, 2015, at about 8 a.m., shortly after leaving her husband asleep in their Harbourview South home.

Krull had planned to go on a long walk as part of her plan to get in shape for a wilderness hike on Vancouver Island later that summer.

Except for a brief glimpse on a home video surveillance camera, a witness who contacted police after a news conference on the first anniversary of Krull’s disappearance is believed to have been the last to have seen her.

The witness is also believed to have helped produce the composite sketch.

Bill Therriault, Krull’s brother, said in a telephone interview from his residence in British Columbia that police gave the family a heads-up there would be a news conference, but didn’t say what would be announced.

Therriault said they are pleased police had new information to release.

“We’re hopeful,” he said. “We just must see closure.

“It has been a long couple of years.”

Meanwhile, Rommel — who said investigators have scoured every open space in the area — admitted police are considering doing interior searches of residences in the area.

“We already are looking at that, and we have for several months,” he said.

The development came two weeks after police confirmed for the first time on July 11, the two-year anniversary of Krull’s disappearance, that they believed she was the victim of a crime.

Police also said at that time they were looking for a male suspect described as Indigenous, in his 40s, 5-6 to 5-8 in height and weighing about 270 lbs., with a large stomach and chubby face, and dark hair with a bowl-shaped cut.

Police said on Thursday that instead of a bowl cut, the suspect could have just been wearing a dark-coloured skull cap or beanie.

The composite drawing also shows a slight moustache.

Rommel said police have been using the composite drawing for “several months” as part of their investigation.

After hitting a dead end, they figured having more eyes out there looking — and people remembering — will help.

“We can only do so much,” he said. “We’ve exhausted these attempts. Now we feel this (release of composite sketch) will be most likely to get more information.”

Rommel said investigators also believe Krull was attacked after she arrived in East Kildonan’s Civic Park by a man who forcibly removed her from the area.

“She appeared to be in distress,” he said a witness told police when the pair were seen around Kimberly Avenue and Grey Street.

Rommel said because nobody else saw the pair elsewhere, investigators believe the suspect either lived in the area or was visiting a residence.

“He may have just been staying overnight at some place,” he said.

“I believe there was a location nearby he had access to… he may have been living in the area or staying in the area, for a night, a weekend, or longer. But he had access to a residence that morning.”

Therriault admitted it has been tiring for the family to not know what happened to Krull for two years.

“We’re just hanging in and hanging tough,” he said. “And hoping somebody sees something soon.”

As for whether Rommel believes Krull is still alive, he said “it is two years plus.”

“It doesn’t look good, but at the same time, I’m not here to remove anyone’s hope.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Police are looking for a man who was seen with Krull in the area of Kimberly Avenue and Grey Street