Human remains found on farm near Salmon Arm are those of missing teen

SALMON ARM (NEWS 1130) – RCMP have identified the remains found on a large piece of farm land near Salmon Arm as those of 18-year-old Traci Genereaux.

Genereaux went missing in May and her father, Darcy Genereaux previously said the RCMP asked him for a blood sample last week.

RCMP say an autopsy is complete but they are not releasing the details, although they say her death is being treated as suspicious.

No charges have been laid in connection with Genereaux’s death.

“The RCMP notified Traci’s family yesterday and they continue to be provided support from our victim assistance workers,” says RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk.

Related Article: Second search confirmed after human remains found in north Okanagan

Mounties began searching a rural property in the north Okanagan earlier this month, and announced the discovery of human remains on Oct. 21.

The investigation of the property located on Salmon River Road is ongoing and police say they’re working to establish a timeline of Genereaux’s whereabouts on the days leading up to May 29 when she was last heard from in Vernon.

“Given the size of the property and the number of out building at this location, there’s quite a large amount of resources and equipment that had been brought in and remain on site in order to conduct a thorough search of the property in the most efficient manner,” says Moskaluk.

“We’ll be looking for further evidence and any information with respect to criminal activity that may have taken place on the property.”

Over the past two years, five women have gone missing in the same area of the North Okanagan  — the latest just last month. The RCMP have not linked the search of the 24-acre property to a public warning they issued on Oct. 13.

At that time, the Mounties warned of a “possible risk to the general public and women sex workers.”

A man linked to the property has been charged with attacking a sex trade worker from Vernon.

Investigators have also contacted the families of the other people who have gone missing in the area.

Moskaluk can’t say whether RCMP have requested DNA samples from family members of other women who have gone missing.

“With respect to the collection of DNA samples, this is a normal process that is one of the investigative tools that’s looked at when we deal with missing persons investigations. When they are collected or what precipitates them is always unique to each investigation and case. Given… what we have with the findings here and what we are trying to accomplish, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for us to request DNA samples.”