Found Deceased Canada - Thelma Krull, 58, Winnipeg MB, 11 July 2015

[deugirtni]

From what this hunter fellow said, it sounds like the area used to be swampland up until a couple of years ago when it dried up... back in summer of 2016, was it a particularly dry year that would have dried up a swamp?

"Up until the last couple of years, where she was found, half of this quarter-section here was all swamp ground. The only reason she popped up out of the ground there, if she was buried, is because it dried up."


Edited to add photo of:
"A hunter on the same half-section of Crown Land Thelma Krull's remains were found. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)" from this website: Thelma Krull's remains found in woods southeast of city

 

[Kaley Smith]

It makes sense for the killer to head in that direction, I guess. Fastest exit point. Take Concordia to the nearby Perimeter. I think we do tend to go to a place that's familiar to us though. I grew up north of Winnipeg, so I would have headed north, not south.

 

[Kaley Smith]

From what this hunter fellow said, it sounds like the area used to be swampland up until a couple of years ago when it dried up... back in summer of 2016, was it a particularly dry year that would have dried up a swamp?

"Up until the last couple of years, where she was found, half of this quarter-section here was all swamp ground. The only reason she popped up out of the ground there, if she was buried, is because it dried up."

I would say the swamps dry up in the summer heat unless we have above average rainfall.

 

[MistyWaters]

From this quote below, and from what the detective said at the press conference.... isn't it possible that the killer could have driven out of the city, along that road, for miles.. and then eventually, some 50km out, he happened upon some woods, rather than prairies, and thought that looked like a good hiding spot? The detective said it was all prairies all around, except for this spot.. but that spot would have been visible from the road. It's obvious the killer wanted to hide the body to not be found, possibly even thrown into swamp water. I'm not sure why they're saying someone would necessarily be familiar with the area though, if this little woodsy area was different from the rest of the prairie lands?
"Whoever did this, they knew that this was the only piece of Crown land around where they had quick road access. They must have been around here before," he said.
Thelma Krull's killer had 'some ambition to get her in there': hunter

If I recall correctly, air searches were conducted when Thelma first went missing. Although I don’t know if that included a radius around Winnipeg, it’d certainly be easier to have located a body by now on open prairie type topography than in a wooded area. Does anyone remember a certain rural location being searched previously, maybe I’m just imagining things.

I don’t suppose that LE know for sure, but if a body is found in a hard to locate area, odds are the location was intentionally chosen.

 

[MistyWaters]

Earlier it was a very dry year.

May, 2018
Winnipeg seeing driest conditions in almost 40 years

May, 2018
Manitoba 'can't buy a drop of rain' amid historic drought
“Most of the province has received just one-quarter of its average rainfall to date this year, or approximately 10 centimetres since January. Fields are drying up and cracking, lawns are dying and municipalities are enforcing harsh water use bans as Manitobans hope and pray for dark clouds and heavy rain to bring some relief.”

 

[deugirtni]

If I recall correctly, air searches were conducted when Thelma first went missing. Although I don’t know if that included a radius around Winnipeg, it’d certainly be easier to have located a body by now on open prairie type topography than in a wooded area. Does anyone remember a certain rural location being searched previously, maybe I’m just imagining things.

I don’t suppose that LE know for sure, but if a body is found in a hard to locate area, odds are the location was intentionally chosen.

In this particular case though, it seems that for miles all around, it was prairie lands, whereas this clump of 'woods' was chosen. I can imagine that if someone had her in their vehicle already deceased, and they just started driving, wondering where the hay they were going to dispose of the body, that would be a good choice, whether one is familiar or not?

If the 'drought' didn't happen until *this* year.. that could explain why hunters never happened upon TK's remains in previous winters, if it had been still swampy and her body perhaps under water?

Somehow from my memory bank, I thought it had been said at one point longggggg ago that TK and husband had a cottage somewhere.. but I could potentially be mixing up with a different case??

 

[MistyWaters]

In this particular case though, it seems that for miles all around, it was prairie lands, whereas this clump of 'woods' was chosen. I can imagine that if someone had her in their vehicle already deceased, and they just started driving, wondering where the hay they were going to dispose of the body, that would be a good choice, whether one is familiar or not?

If the 'drought' didn't happen until *this* year.. that could explain why hunters never happened upon TK's remains in previous winters, if it had been still swampy and her body perhaps under water?

Somehow from my memory bank, I thought it had been said at one point longggggg ago that TK and husband had a cottage somewhere.. but I could potentially be mixing up with a different case??

The problem might be, in attempting to connect a suspect to that particular location, is 50km is quite close to Winnipeg. Unless the perp only recently moved there, most locals become familiar with the landscape surrounding their cities that close over time, day drives, etc.

You might be remembering a family cottage from another very sad case that occurred around the same time as Thelma disappeared. It was in Washington I think it was, an older woman also who mysteriously disappeared on her way to work who normally carpooled but forgot her ID/work badge, car was found parked on a street and who’s body was found near a culvert under a road, a plastic bag was also found. Her tragic death was later declared suicide.

 

[Kaley Smith]

Yes, Misty Waters, it has been very dry this year here. The hunter mentioned 2016 as the time the swamps dried up.

 

[MistyWaters]

Yes, Misty Waters, it has been very dry this year here. The hunter mentioned 2016 as the time the swamps dried up.

Kakey, you can probably offer us a better idea.....that location, is it really that secluded or would it be common for Winnipegers to discover it just by driving around and about?

The city I live near, because of magazine “things to do” articles including bird watching, wildlife, photo opportunities, day drive ideas, and so forth I’d be surprised if any unusual topographic site on a public road within 100km is only known to a few.

 

[Kaley Smith]

It is not easy to get to. The main highways around there are #1 and #12. This is definitely off the beaten path.

Global TV has been under attack, I think rightly so, for showing the skull. The police have called this cruel. However, if you look further down this story, you'll see video footage of the area. (I think this was posted earlier, but for your convenience... 3 years after she vanished, Winnipeg police find skull belonging to Thelma Krull

 

[Kaley Smith]

Deugirtni, you are correct that the talk was that the family had a cottage at one time. I haven't been able to find that info. this evg.

 

[Satchie]

Cottage country is north of Winnipeg, isn't it?

East is farming country. This was a single section of crown land, in the midst of farms. It's not signed as being public land, most people would assume it was privately owned, I think. Which means someone might come by to see what you were doing on their land.

From google maps, it's along a dirt road about a mile from this turnoff (if going via trunk rd 12). The dirt roads aren't on google streetview.

 

[ZaZara]

The problem might be, in attempting to connect a suspect to that particular location, is 50km is quite close to Winnipeg. Unless the perp only recently moved there, most locals become familiar with the landscape surrounding their cities that close over time, day drives, etc.

You might be remembering a family cottage from another very sad case that occurred around the same time as Thelma disappeared. It was in Washington I think it was, an older woman also who mysteriously disappeared on her way to work who normally carpooled but forgot her ID/work badge, car was found parked on a street and who’s body was found near a culvert under a road, a plastic bag was also found. Her tragic death was later declared suicide.

In searching for a person or a body, a radius of 50 kms around the place where that person disappeared is vast. Approximately 7850 square kms to search. Go figure how much time and effort that would take, and of course you would not know in advance that you would indeed find her after 7850 square kms. The distance might have been 100 kms, or 200, or all of Canada.

Fifty kms from here, I may know some landmarks but I am not familiar with them unless I know the place really well. When I think of a possible hiding place for a body ~ should I ever need it ~ I would choose something nearer to home and indeed, all these places that I can think of have a certain meaning for me, or a connection. The best places I can think of are in a radius of 5 kms, and perhaps 20 kms if I think harder. Dang! I know I am not a good thinker under stress and I suppose a violent abduction would cause stress in the perp too. He must somehow be very familiar with the spot he picked. And not only knew it from sight as a passer-by, but also from the inside, a place where he has actually been and probably more often.

It would have taken no more than a few steps to the right or the left and the hunter might not even have noticed the remains.

 

[nova1998]

One way someone might have known the area was if they were a delivery person who worked those rural routes.

 

[deugirtni]

Cottage country is north of Winnipeg, isn't it?

East is farming country. This was a single section of crown land, in the midst of farms. It's not signed as being public land, most people would assume it was privately owned, I think. Which means someone might come by to see what you were doing on their land.

From google maps, it's along a dirt road about a mile from this turnoff (if going via trunk rd 12). The dirt roads aren't on google streetview.
View attachment 157924

TK's recovery spot, as described is only a 35 minute (43km) drive from TK's home (and not sure where exactly her glasses/phone were recovered on the huge Valley Gardens Community Centre property, nor for sure whether she was actually there or her things may have been planted, and not sure how many minutes it would add if driving from that location to her recovery spot).

The route doesn't seem that difficult. I guess the trick would be in knowing which lands are private and which are Crown? Although, if I was driving a body out to the woods, I might not even be thinking about private/Crown land, but rather, simply finding a wooded area where the body would least likely be found. Even if privately owned, it's not like people would be sitting in lawnchairs enjoying their properties and apt to be lurking out there? moo.
From googlemaps:

Link: Google Maps
Location as described: "Homicide unit Sgt. Wes Rommel told a news conference Thursday that Krull's remains were found Oct. 27 in a wooded area near Municipal Road 52 N and Chemin Perrin Road, east of Highway 12 and north of the Trans-Canada Highway."
Link: Thelma Krull's remains found in woods southeast of city

 

[Kaley Smith]

Answer from local FB group re Thelma: " There was rumour they had a cottage but it was never factually found out. If they did most people who enjoy cottage life at the lake talk about it or post pics, nothing surfaced from family or anyone close to them that suggested they owned a cottage. So I guess the answer is we don't know."

 

[Kaley Smith]

In the local FB group's opinion, made up mostly of Winnipeggers, the consensus is we know areas of the province generally well, but not in detail unless we'll lived, worked, hunted or camped there. I see comments like: " I look at it this way, it is such a remote area that a person who didn’t know where they were going could get lost easily unless they are familiar with the area. " and "I agree (name) such a very very unkown and remote area. " (To me it's NOT very, very remote when you look at a map... but it isn't a place a person would go for a walk or hike even).

 

[Kaley Smith]

The area is not directly south of Winnipeg. There are no cottages there, but east there are in the Falcon Lake, West Hawk Lake areas. I've read the body was about 300 ft off a dirt road. That took some effort to get her there in my opinion. I still think it is likely two people were involved.

The spot is near places like St. Genevieve and Lorette. There are not many jobs in those hamlets. I've heard many people from the area drive in to Winnipeg to work on construction crews, for Winnipeg hydro, at the Concordia hospital, (not sure about at the Kildonan East school by Kimberley Hill).

The closest Indian reservation I think is about 20 mins away from where the body was found. The place where the body was would be on the way there. Police believe the sketch is of an indigenous person. Thelma's son has a gay partner who is indigenous, living far away in Regina together at the time. The fellow is very respectable from what I know. Worked in a high end men's clothing store in Winnipeg. Their FB pages which I saw shortly after the murder did not raise any suspicions in me. I doubt that they had ties to gangs or drugs. I had phoned in Thelma's connection to the indigenous community through her son way back in 2015, and I'm sure police have checked out that angle. Thelma was not anti-gay or a prejudiced person, and far as I know was close to her son, so would not have made enemies in those marginalized groups.

Thelma had an interest in and went to car races at the Winnipeg Speedway. Sometimes I wonder if some guy there took a shine to her, and she rebuffed him. A lot of men hang around at car races.

 

[Satchie]

One way someone might have known the area was if they were a delivery person who worked those rural routes.

I was thinking they may be a hunter.

 

[MistyWaters]

In searching for a person or a body, a radius of 50 kms around the place where that person disappeared is vast. Approximately 7850 square kms to search. Go figure how much time and effort that would take, and of course you would not know in advance that you would indeed find her after 7850 square kms. The distance might have been 100 kms, or 200, or all of Canada.

Fifty kms from here, I may know some landmarks but I am not familiar with them unless I know the place really well. When I think of a possible hiding place for a body ~ should I ever need it ~ I would choose something nearer to home and indeed, all these places that I can think of have a certain meaning for me, or a connection. The best places I can think of are in a radius of 5 kms, and perhaps 20 kms if I think harder. Dang! I know I am not a good thinker under stress and I suppose a violent abduction would cause stress in the perp too. He must somehow be very familiar with the spot he picked. And not only knew it from sight as a passer-by, but also from the inside, a place where he has actually been and probably more often.

It would have taken no more than a few steps to the right or the left and the hunter might not even have noticed the remains.

Oh no sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest the search for Thelma extended 50 km in all directions around Winnipeg, or should’ve. Just that odds are such that bodies left on an open prairie are apt to be discovered far sooner than hidden in treed areas.

Media reports indicate her body was discovered in the Municipality of Tache. The discovery site appears to be about 3Q on the map indicated to be “undeveloped”, or so it appears to me.

Rural Municipality of Taché | Community

I wonder if by LEs statement regarding prior knowledge of the location, they have reason to believe there’s a connection to someone involved who has a familiarity to one of the small towns nearby such as Lorette or Ste Anne.