CALEDON, Ont. - A post-mortem is scheduled for Tuesday morning after human remains were discovered over the weekend in a rural area east of Orangeville, Ont., where a nurse has been missing for more than a week.
Someone walking their dog discovered the remains Sunday morning in Caledon, about 12 kilometres from Orangeville, and contacted Ontario Provincial Police.
Sonia Varaschin, 42, was reported missing by her family last Monday when she didn't show up for work.
Police have not confirmed if the remains found are those of man or woman.
"Police investigators do not believe a positive identification of the body will be made until after the post-mortem is completed," the provincial police said in a statement.
Beech Grove sideroad, the rural, forested area close to where the remains were found, will remain closed until Wednesday, police said, so a forensic unit can examine the scene.
On Sunday, Ontario Provincial Police Const. Jonathan Beckett said police were in contact with the Varaschin family regarding the discovery.
Varaschin's blood-stained white Toyota Corolla was found in an alley last Monday in Orangeville, some 80 kilometres northwest of Toronto. A trail of blood was also found inside and outside her home.
Last Friday, police asked the public for help in finding blood-soaked bedding missing from Varaschin's townhouse.
While police said they have no suspect in the case, they have told the family to brace for the worst.
Police said the culprit is likely someone Varaschin knew or was familiar with her.
According to police, the investigation suggests the culprit left Varaschin's house in the woman's Toyota and returned to downtown Orangeville with the car sometime later.
Days of ground, air and trail searches of the Orangeville area _ which is predominantly rural _ failed to find traces of Varaschin.