GUILTY Canada - Natsumi Kogawa, 29, Vancouver, 7 Sept 2016

[Gardener1850]

While on the surface, the appearance is that (a homicide charge) is appropriate, we can’t work with appearances. We have to work with facts and evidence,” said acting Sgt. Brian Montague with Vancouver Police.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/177239/Charged-in-student-s-death

Article includes a photo of a makeshift campsite in Vernon where possibly Schneider was camping

More from that link:

An autopsy is being conducted Monday, and police are not ruling out more charges.
...
Police will not say specifically where he was taken into custody. However, at about the same time as the arrest, police put crime scene tape up in Polson Park.
A makeshift camp was located behind police tape. Police characterized Schneider as being from numerous communities throughout B.C. – in other words, homeless.

 

[Gardener1850]

Argh! Some said he looked homeless and I just thought he was a hiker who had been camping. I've worked with actual homeless people before and this guy looked too clean. I also didn't think he looked dangerous. Apparently, I'm a terrible judge of character from pictures. :scared:

 

[ttcRider]

Argh! Some said he looked homeless and I just thought he was a hiker who had been camping. I've worked with actual homeless people before and this guy looked too clean. I also didn't think he looked dangerous. Apparently, I'm a terrible judge of character from pictures. :scared:

I think a few of us were fooled. I am usually the most jaded person here and am floored. :blushing: <modsnip>

 

[Gardener1850]

I think a few of us were fooled. I am usually the most jaded person here and am floored. :blushing: <modsnip>

<modsnip>I didn't see anything suspicious in the way her friends were going about looking for her. They even involved the Japanese media. But I've been fooled by that photo of the homeless man so maybe I shouldn't make any judgements on that in this case. :thinking:

 

[Satchie]

You know, I thought he looked okay too, but what strikes me now was the way she looked - way, way too attractive for a guy like that, a 48 year old ex-con. A gorgeous young woman probably wouldn't come into his life very often.

 

[Myster]

Well this is certainly not how I hoped this mystery would turn out. Sad for NK's family and friends.

That said...this is a very odd location to find NK. That location has been barricaded from foot traffic for a couple years. It's in a very very high traffic location for a residential neighborhood. Davie St is an EW business corridor. To the east are tons of restaurants, hotels, and shops. To the west there is more of the same until you end up at the beach, seawall and Stanley Park. My thought is this was a location of opportunity. NK was killed or died (we don't really know which yet) in the West End very close to this spot. There may be a little bit more revealed in the coming days.

I also see this location as a location of opportunity. If she was killed or died nearby, there is no way to hide her body except to take her to the beach or a park, but that can't be done without people noticing. I'm assuming the man arrested doesn't have a car because he was carrying all of his camping gear instead of keeping it in his car. That location is ideal because it's a vacant house so the chances of her being found are lower.

I wonder if Natsumi was lured specifically to that location because there are very few historical mansions in Vancouver. Maybe he offered to show it to her and she was interested so she followed.

 

[Satchie]

I wonder if Natsumi was lured specifically to that location because there are very few historical mansions in Vancouver. Maybe he offered to show it to her and she was interested so she followed.

Yes, and specifically vacant historical mansions, perhaps without much security. It was sold a year ago, to be turned into apartments, but it doesn't seem any work has started on it. http://www.vancouversun.com/West+Gabriola+House+mansion+sold+million/11444750/story.html

Some people have said a movie was being filmed there last week, a very sad idea.

 

[Snoopster]

Extended video from press conference today:

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=963269&playlistId=1.3096396&binId=1.1184694&playlistPageNum=1

Highlights:
- There is a publication ban on this case and LE are only willing to give out limited information at this point
- body found shortly before 7pm on Sept. 28 (Wed)
- the Missing Persons investigation led police to search the grounds of the Davie Street mansion. (when later asked for specifics, not willing to give details)
- WVS was arrested by RCMP in Vernon just before midnight on the night the body was found
- re delay in making this information public (sounds like LE was stonewalling the media yesterday relating to their activities on Davie St.)...."there is a difference between providing information in the public interest and providing information because the public is interested." When possible, next of kin should be notified in person and not find out their loved one is dead from watching television reports or through social media.

- Q: Was there a relationship with the suspect? A: not willing to disclose.
- autopsy planned for Monday
- charges approved late last night (29th). Don't know when court appearance will be.
- what led to mansion? Not willing to say
- does offense date imply that was when killing happened? A: charges don't necessarily reflect exact date of death. Hoping autopsy will confirm time of death.
- Q: known to police? A: I'll let you look up public records. I'll tell you he is 48 years old.
- Q: is he a Vancouver resident? A: I think it's safe to say that he is not. I think it's safe to say he's lived in several communities in BC. He's of no fixed address.
- Q: what was RCMP's involvement? A: Can't say, other than arrested by North Okanagan RCMP.
- Q: was it the public or a police officer who identified the suspect in the photo? A: won't say other than to say that whenever a request like that goes out a number of tips come in. As to what specifically led to the arrest...not at liberty to say.
- Q: was he at a home or business when he was arrested (at least I think that's what was asked) A: he was arrested in Vernon. Beyond that not authorized to say.
- Q: can you tell us about the timeline, from when Miss Kogawa went missing? A: Can't give details, but there was a fair gap between last seen and reported missing. We are trying to fill in the gaps.
-

[I couldn't hear some of the questions, so pardon me if I misinterpreted anything.]

My heart goes out to Natsumi's family. It is devastating that this vibrant young woman came to such a terrible demise in Canada, so far away from her family.

 

[Satchie]

Thanks for the details from the press conference.

I think they did a great job finding her and the suspect, I wonder if they went after his cellphone records once they had his identity, sunce they appeared to know where to search. It would have been even more terrible if her family had had to wait for her to be accidentally found, and then no chance of finding the perp.

Hate to say it, but I'm sure they have to look at him in relation to other crimes.

 

[Snoopster]

So the charges against Schneider are 'indiginity to a body'. I presume that is because she was disposed of in an inappropriate way? I hope it wasn't because of anything more abhorant than that.

:notgood:

According to the Criminal Code of Canada:

182 Every one who

(a) neglects, without lawful excuse, to perform any duty that is imposed on him by law or that he undertakes with reference to the burial of a dead human body or human remains, or

(b) improperly or indecently interferes with or offers any indignity to a dead human body or human remains, whether buried or not,

is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-182.html

 

[MaxRx]

This footage was initially taken on Sept 29th when RCMP searched the campsite occupied by Schneider in Vernon BC ... at the time, the arrest of Schneider nor discovery of the body of Kogawa had been announced so the cameraman did not know what sort of criminal investigation it was:


[video=youtube;Bg7iDlMXMm8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg7iDlMXMm8[/video]


<modsnip>

One of the CTV newscasts included facts/allegations that weren't presented nor indicated by the RCMP that included:

Suspect in Japanese student's death has a criminal past
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=963649&playlistId=1.3096396&binId=1.1184694&playlistPageNum=1

• 02:38 criminal charges/past including four years for armed robbery
• 02:48 shot of Catholic Charities Mens Hostel on Cambie St where they indicate Schneider stayed...followed by comment "Schneider speaks Japanese"

• 03:18 court documents obtained by ctv news

The autopsy of the body of Natsumi Kogawa is scheduled for Monday October 3rd, according to the RCMP press conference:

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=963269&playlistId=1.3096396&binId=1.1184694&playlistPageNum=1

The suspect William Victor Schneider (48) was staying at this men's hostel in downtown Vancouver:

Catholic Charity Mens Hostel
828 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2A7
http://archive.is/2pPN2
map https://goo.gl/maps/PRa72HTVwAJ2
map2 https://goo.gl/maps/3hcCJwhwEP62


...one kilometer from where the CCTV surveillance cameras took their photo at 1327 on September 8 2016:

https://goo.gl/maps/ZSe42RwtQxK2

The hostel is 2.3 km away by foot from the Giodola Mansion (aka Rogers Mansion):


https://goo.gl/maps/9wFYLRxC1Un

The suspect was arrested shortly before midnight - almost 5 hours after the body was discovered - on September 28th in Vernon BC ... the suspect apparently was 'camping' in a wooded area in Polson Park directly behind the Vernon Jubilee Hospital:


https://goo.gl/maps/629YENqBTGH2

[ It's a 4.5 hour drive from downtown Vancouver to Vernon BC: https://goo.gl/maps/FCkjxih7nkR2 ]

 

[Sillybilly]

I am so sorry to hear this news.

Sincere condolences to Natsumi's family and all those who loved her.

Rest in Peace Natsumi.
:rose: :rose: :rose:

 

[Satchie]

Very helpful links and details, thanks. That mention that he spoke Japanese is very surprising.

I have a feeling few details will come out about this crime until the trial, except what's revealed by the charge of either first or second degree.

 

[Wolf Dreamer]

."there is a difference between providing information in the public interest and providing information because the public is interested."

Never a truer word spoken

 

[Vail]

This is very sad ending :/ I imagined she might be found dead, but honestly thought suicide was a higher possibility until we saw that still of this jerk. She was a foreigner - walking around alone in a place where a language barrier and inexperience with the culture dulls much of the sense she may have had for detecting danger. She seemed like a friendly, personable woman. I empathize deeply with her family and friends - Natsumi didn't deserve this, and certainly not so far from home.

:rose:

 

[Snoopster]

So how did her body get way over to the mansion on Davie St? Schneider didn't have a vehicle, I assume. The location where she was found was not close to either where he was staying or to where they were last seen together. This would lead me to believe that he lured her there while she was still alive and killed her there. (all presuming that WVS did in fact kill her, of course.)

Also, what led LE to the mansion? Was WVS seen going in and out of the mansion by a local who then recognized the image that was released by LE?

 

[Satchie]

Also, what led LE to the mansion? Was WVS seen going in and out of the mansion by a local who then recognized the image that was released by LE?

Possibly, but these days it seems more likely surveillance video than eyewitnesses, especially because after such a length of time there are often so many reported sightings which are actually false leads, they take a long time too follow up. LE might have been tracing their movements as they passed various CCTVs, though that would be an incredible amount of work.

I wonder if LE were able to get his cell records and that way found out that he spent a lot of time right around there on the 7th, enabling them to link him to her (perhaps) burial with enough certainty to lay a charge.

Also, I think it's somewhat remarkable they knew exactly where he was camping in the woods, though possibly, and with great good fortune Vernon RCMP knew about him camping there. But his cellphone would lead LE to his precise location, and even homeless guys have cellphones these days.

 

[slowpoke]

Bolded by me:

So how did her body get way over to the mansion on Davie St? Schneider didn't have a vehicle, I assume. The location where she was found was not close to either where he was staying or to where they were last seen together. This would lead me to believe that he lured her there while she was still alive and killed her there. (all presuming that WVS did in fact kill her, of course.)

Also, what led LE to the mansion? Was WVS seen going in and out of the mansion by a local who then recognized the image that was released by LE?

Sorry for pointing out the unpleasant, but what about odor? Do you think nearby residents noticed a bad odor coming from the direction of the mansion? Maybe that is what drew the police to the house.

Also, is this a street view of the Gabriola mansion? https://www.google.com/maps/@49.284...4!1spxVcTHx_GRYktcq6h64NKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 If so, I found it interesting that there are people sunning themselves on the lawn. The image capture says May 2015, and the property has been vacant for many years, isn't that right? So maybe lots of folks have been trespassing on the property without anyone bothering them. However, you can see that the lawn and landscaping has been maintained by gardeners, so at least they have been coming there regularly.

 

[Satchie]

I think the odour peaks within the first week or so. That's why I thought, in conjunction with the indignity charge, that she might have been buried.

As others have mentioned, what a shocking thing to have happened in the densely packed west end.

 

[Gardener1850]

Bolded by me:


Sorry for pointing out the unpleasant, but what about odor? Do you think nearby residents noticed a bad odor coming from the direction of the mansion? Maybe that is what drew the police to the house.

Also, is this a street view of the Gabriola mansion? https://www.google.com/maps/@49.284...4!1spxVcTHx_GRYktcq6h64NKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 If so, I found it interesting that there are people sunning themselves on the lawn. The image capture says May 2015, and the property has been vacant for many years, isn't that right? So maybe lots of folks have been trespassing on the property without anyone bothering them. However, you can see that the lawn and landscaping has been maintained by gardeners, so at least they have been coming there regularly.

Yes, one of the articles above said neighbors did not notice anything strange, but that people normally hang out on the lawn of the vacant house. I guess the owners don't mind the trespassing? The nice upkeep on the grounds makes me think that the person who owns it has a service that comes. It could have been a groundskeeper that noticed evidence someone had been inside the house and contacted the owner/police.