SUSPICIOUS DEATH
Cheryl Lynn Parker, aged 42
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance :
Missing Since: May 10, 2004, Toronto Ontario
Classification: Unsolved Death
Age: 42 years old
Height and Weight: 4'11"; 90 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long, wavy dyed Blonde hair. Cheryl has a tattoo of a circle of flowers on her wrist.
Details of Disappearance:
CHERYL LYNN PARKER, aged 42, the single mother of a 10 year old daughter, mysteriously disappeared on May 10, 2004 from 177 Mutual Street in the downtown Toronto area ( Mutual and Gerrard Sts).
This is not characteristic of Cheryl, who was pretty much a home body. Daily she would walk her daughter to and from school, often returning right home after stopping for a coffee at a local restaurant just around the corner from the building she lived in.
Cheryl had recently paid for a trip to St. Lucia, and purchased new summer clothing for this vacation she was so looking forward to. Police found the airline tickets in her home after her disappearance.
Cheryl is described as white, 4'11", long wavy dyed blonde hair, very thin, weighing approximately 90 lbs. She has a tattoo of a circle of flowers on her wrist.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Cheryl and her 10 year old daughter resided in a building called Myremex Non Profit Housing, which was specifically for people who are HIV+. It is located in downtown Toronto at Gerrard and Mutual Sts.
They lived there for approximately nine years.
There are a number of residents there who have an "iffy" background, including convicted sex offender(s), drug dealers, and prostitution has been a problem in the building for years.
Cheryl was one of few women residing there, and her daughter was the only child who lived there for most of those nine years.
Police were called to the building on a number of occasions due to loud parties, arson investigation, fighting, and to make arrests.
At least two residents suicided while living there.
Cheryl supplemented her income ( disability benefits ) by selling prescription drugs to her "friends".
Cheryl was not involved in the use of hard drugs.
It is alleged that shortly before her disappearance, she was threatened by two women who live there for supposedly "ratting on them". Since there were so few women actually residing there as tenants, perhaps these were visitors or two of the many squatters other tenants allowed into the building.
Cheryl allowed a homeless man to stay with her for awhile and was relieved only the day before she disappeared, that she was finally able to get him out of her apt.
There were two residents who made inappropriate sexual comments about Cheryl to others. Both these men have a criminal past. One was no longer living there but had easy access to the building ( copies of keys made perhaps) and also continued to have friends in the building who may have let him in.
On the day she disappeared, she walked her daughter to school as usual, was seen coming into the building but never seen leaving the building on security video. The school apparently called to say her daughter had forgotten her lunch, but the ex lover named John (who she had just "gotten rid of" ) answered the phone and said Cheryl was not home. He is seen leaving the building (video camera) with the lunch. This person was questioned by police shortly after her disappearance but was ruled out as a person of suspect.
The only way out of the building and not seen on video would have been to leave by the steps which would lead to the underground garage, or by elevator to the lobby then down some steps and out a back door, which Cheryl would not have done.
After Cheryl disappeared, her sister travelled from Nova Scotia to Toronto attempting to find her. She was seen at the building snooping around, and a woman came to the door and told her to leave. When asked who that woman was, Cheryl's sister was told she "owned the building". THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT and run by Myremex Non Profit Housing.
It is my belief that tenants who currently live there, KNOW WHAT HAPPENED and are protecting their "friends".
IF YOU ARE THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR CHERYL'S DISAPPEARANCE OR BURIAL, PLEASE consider that she has a 11 year old daughter who is missing her mommy a lot and wondering what happened. Cheryl also has a loving family who are engulfed in grief over this tragedy, and many friends who loved her.
PLEASE contact Police, Media or email me anonymousily with CHERYL PARKER on the subject line, to let us know what happened. You do not need to give your name.
UPDATE -
JAN 1, 2005
EIGHT MONTHS AND STILL NO ANSWERS.
This was Sara's first Christmas without her mom. Whoever has information ( and I KNOW there are some who do, ) PLEASE contact me anonymously or call Crime Stoppers.
Sara deserves answers, as does Cheryl's family.
UPDATE - May 10, 2005
On Thursday, May 8, 2005, a hiker walking through the West Don Parkland at Sheppard and Bathurst Sts. in North York, discovered something orange and green sticking out of the ground and contacted police.
The soil was removed until it was obvious this was a human body. Her body was wrapped in a pink, green and orange striped blanket with fruit on it. It had a rubberized backing.
Cheryl was able to be identified by fingerprints.
Her body was wrapped in garbage bags with this blanket/beach towel wrapped around her, which ironically preserved her body. The autopsy did not show any obvious signs of violence. Cheryl was not shot, beaten or stabbed to death. The Coroner's office is waiting toxicology results.
The beach towel was one she used to wrap Sarah in after trips to the little swimming pool Cheryl had for her on the rooftop terrace of 177 Mutual Street.
At this time police are saying it may been
a homicide (smothering, poisoning) , but are saying they doubt it was suicide (nor was she suicidal), considering someone who suicides is unable to wrap themselves in a blanket then bury themselves in a shallow grave.
The location in the park where Cheryl was found is a heavy brush area and not easy to
reach by foot, especially carrying a dead body. Whoever is responsible for burying her had to have access to a vehicle and then carry her body to this remote area to bury her.
Cheryl had no friends in that area and would have no reason to be there.
It is possible that she was smothered, poisoned or died of a drug overdose, which is not likely considering she was not known to use drugs.
Regardless, someone went to great care in burying her body in a shallow grave in a dense bush area of a park, possibly after getting scared after witnessing her death, or finding her dead.
Police have discovered that the beach towel/blanket she was buried in, belonged to her, meaning that it is very likely that she was killed in her own home.
picture of blanket/beach towel Cheryl was found wrapped in.
UPDATE- May 21, 2005
Cheryl's funeral took place today at AL Mattatall Funeral Home in Dartmouth, NS.
Her family had the difficult task of saying goodbye to their daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and did so with dignity and love.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING CHERYL's DEATH, OR WHO BURIED HER, PLEASE CONTACT POLICE ANONYMOUSLY.
Her family deserves these answers.
Cheryl's Obituary
PARKER, Cheryl Lynn - Died in Toronto, Ont., in mysterious circumstances some time in the year 2004. She leaves to mourn her mother, Elsie; daughter, Sarah, Toronto; brothers, Robert, Dartmouth, and Richard, Annapolis Valley; sisters, Donna Lamontagne, Dartmouth; Deborah Jacobs, Alberta, and Brenda Parker, Dartmouth. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 21, at 2 p.m. in A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home, Portland Street, Dartmouth. Burial will be at a later date.
~~REST IN PEACE CHERYL~~
Investigating Agency :
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Toronto Police Homicide
416-808-7400
or 32 Division
416-808-3200
or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477)
or online at 222tips.com
Or Email
Source Information:
Toronto Police
Toronto Star, May 9, 2005
"Missing Women's Body Found"
Toronto Star May 10, 2004
"Towel may be clue in death"
CITY TV
Parker Family
UPDATE
It's been almost two months since Cheryl's nude body was found wrapped in garbage bags and in her beach towel, and still there are no arrests.
According to her family, police are pretty sure who murdered her ( DUH! ) but haven't enough evidence to make an arrest.
Actually, Toronto Police Services Homicide Division is not EXACTLY admitting she was murdered. But they do agree that she couldn't have buried herself so someone is responsible for that.
Ironically, just before her body was found, a reward was supposed to be posted, but that has not been done yet.
I believe that once a reward is offered, someone who knows something will "suddenly remember something".
The man who has custody of Cheryl's daughter feels too that this John who lived with Cheryl until the day before she disappeared, was involved. If he was kicked out of her apartment the day before what was he doing back in her apartment a few days later? He allegedly called Chris ( the man with custody of Sara) two days after Cheryl disappeared, telling him that he was there with Cheryl's permission.
Knowing Cheryl, she would have kicked him out, including all his belongings and would not have been too eager to allow him back in her apartment.
I think if they did pick him up and arrest him, he would fast talk to the police about WHO helped him.
UPDATE - September 11, 2005
As I sit here today watching the news coverage of the Memorials taking place in NYC for the 9/11 bombings, I remember so vividly, that morning in 2001.
I stopped by Mother's Treats a small diner, for a coffee on my way home from walking my dogs. Cheryl was in the diner, having just walked Sarah to school, and was frantic, telling me " an airplane just flew into a big building in NYC"
Having spent some time in NYC I asked her if she knew what building it was. She responded, " No, but it has towers."
Instantly I knew she was talking about the World Trade Center.
My initial reaction was "This had to be planned, I bet it was terrorists".
Cheryl gasped and said, " No, I think it was just an accident." Then in less than two seconds she stared at me and said, "Wow! do you really think it might have been?"
She invited me up to her apt to watch the news.
We sat there together for hours in shock.
It has now been 16 Months since Cheryl was murdered. It has been four months since her body was found in a shallow grave. THERE STILL HAVE BEEN NO ARRESTS!
Police allegedly have someone of interest but are still "gathering evidence".
Cheryl's family is attempting to get on with their lives, but report that they still find day to day duties so surreal following Cheryl's murder.
PEOPLE KNOW what happened yet remain silent.
WHY?
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