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Murder charge laid in 9-year-old Thunder Bay cold case

OPP NEWS RELEASE ************************* OPP cold case solved with arrest of Alberta man Judith Thibault murder of 2000 THUNDER BAY, ON - (October 26) - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in cooperation with the Thunder Bay Police Service have mad
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OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* OPP cold case solved with arrest of Alberta man

Judith Thibault murder of 2000

THUNDER BAY, ON - (October 26) - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in cooperation with the Thunder Bay Police Service have made an arrest in the November 21, 2000 murder of Judith Thibault of Thunder Bay.

On October 24, 2009, the OPP arrested Michael Earl Kelly , age 63 of Beaverlodge, Alberta, without incident and transported him back to Thunder Bay.

Judith Thibault had originally been reported missing on November 21, 2000, to the Thunder Bay Police Service who conducted an extensive investigation into her disappearance.

Numerous searches and interviews were conducted but they were unable to locate Thibault.

In August, 2004, Thibault's body was located north of Highway 11/17 in the Dorion area.

At that time a joint homicide investigation was conducted by the OPP Northwest Region Crime Unit and Thunder Bay Police CIB under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch.

The investigation was extensive and the investigative team was assisted by specialized units of the OPP and Fredericton RCMP.

The investigation continued into June of 2006 until all the investigative leads were exhausted.

In September, 2008, the OPP Northwest Region Crime Unit and the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch conducted a case review as a result of information received.

An extensive investigation was conducted with the assistance of members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Unit, Grande Prairie RCMP and specialized Units of the OPP and Thunder Bay Police Service.

The results of this investigation culminated in the arrest of Michael Kelly.

Michael Kelly was the common-law spouse of the victim at the time of her disappearance.

He has been charged with first degree murder and has been remanded into custody.

He will appear in Thunder Bay court at a date to be set by the court.

The investigation is continuing in this case.

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