Police still looking for unspecified Hallam body parts

City Police confirmed today that they are still looking for some parts of the beheaded and dismembered body of Wesley Hallam, found eight days ago on Landslide Road between Old Garden River Road and Fourth Line East.

Exactly which body parts remain missing was not specified at a police news conference this afternoon.

Interestingly, police said that the decapitated body was identified through a distinctive tattoo, not through facial characteristics or dental records.

"Very early on in the investigation, our team identified a quite distinctive tattoo on the victim's remains," said Staff Sergent Sean Sparling. "We were able to confirm that with family."

Hallam's name was not mentioned at any time during today's news conference at Sault Ste. Marie Police Service headquarters on Second Line, even though

Police say they know the identity of the deceased, but will not officially release his name until it has been confirmed by DNA analysis.

Sparling said it's hoped the results will be available by late next week.

He also confirmed that the victim and accused, Ronald Mitchell, are known to each other.

"At most, we know that they are acquaintances," Sparling said.

Mitchell appeared in Sault Ste. Marie bail court this morning and has been remanded to custody.

Police believe the murder occurred at 30 Wellington Street East but they are not saying how, why or what could have led to it.

Sparling said they have discovered the identities of most of the eight to 12 people who were present the night of the incident.

"We know that there were a number of persons present and possibly involved in this incident," said Sparling. "We're continuing to investigate where the evidence leads us and if there are other people to be charged, we'll do it."

Police also believe the persons involved in this incident travelled through Garden River and may have potentially discarded some items along the route.

An OPP helicopter and police divers have been involved in the search for those items.

They've been searching all open waterways along the route between Sault Ste. Marie and the St. Joseph Island turnoff, said Sparling.

The following written update was provided today by police:

**************************** Updates on the investigation

On Saturday January 8 in the early morning hours, the victim of this homicide attended a gathering at 30 Wellington Street East.

There were several persons present in the residence.

With the assistance of the public, we have identified most, if not all of those persons who were at the residence at the time in question.

We can not provide details as to what exactly happened in the residence as this is evidence that the Crown will need to use at trial.

We also can not comment on the nature of the injuries to the victim in this case beyond saying that he was dismembered which included being decapitated.

We can say that we have not located all of the victim’s remains.

We will not be releasing details about his injuries beyond this description.

What we can provide is at 30 Wellington Street East there was an altercation that led to the victim’s death and dismemberment.

I can also advise that we believe we know the identity of the victim, however his name is being withheld pending the results of DNA analysis.

The victim of this homicide was transported from 30 Wellington Street East and his body was discarded at the bottom of the embankment off of Landslide Road in the Cold Water Creek the morning of Saturday January 8.

The body of the deceased was found by members of the public on Tuesday January 11 shortly before 4 p.m.

This is when the investigation commenced.

Since this time, police have arrested and charged Ronald Mitchell, 26 years of age, from Sault Ste. Marie.

He was arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police on Wednesday January 12 as he travelled west from Thunder Bay Ontario.

He was arrested on an unrelated matter.

Mitchell was arrested by detectives from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service on Monday January 17 in Thunder Bay and he has been returned to Sault Ste. Marie where he appeared in bail court this morning.

Investigators have been attempting to locate a number of items of interest in this case.

We have received information that has taken us to search the Garden River dump, the roadways within Garden River and the waterways in this community as well.

In this search we utilized the services of the Ontario Provincial Police helicopter unit, dive unit and K-9 unit.

Several officers also searched these locations on foot.

We are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the following items:

- blue power tools

- blue canvass tool bag

- blue plastic tarps - latex gloves

- bottles of bleach

- clothing including shirts, shoes, jackets, pants and a red Detroit Red Wings ball hat

- edged weapons or similar hand tools

- the carpet liner for the trunk of a car

- white plastic garbage bags with red ties

The investigation has led us to believe that these items have been discarded somewhere between Sault Ste. Marie and the St. Joseph Island turnoff.

This is based on witness and tip information from the public and what we know as to the time lines of the various persons involved in this case.

It is possible that these items are not along this route, however this is the best information available to police at this time.

Requesting assistance from the public

I would like to ask the public to search their own properties along these routes and call police should they locate any of these items.

This investigation is still ongoing.

Police believe this to be an isolated incident that occurred amongst persons known to each other.

There are other persons involved in this incident and we are continuing to investigate their exact role in this homicide.

Investigators have received numerous tips from the public and we would like to thank everyone for their assistance.

The public is encouraged to continue to call police with any new information.

Police have also interviewed a number of witnesses and we thank each of them for their cooperation.

We expect to interview more witnesses in the coming days.

There will be no further details to be released at this time.

Updates will be provided as information becomes available.

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