Police investigating the July 2012 death of a young mother whose body was found near the banks of the Nicomekl River say they still believe someone has answers that could bring Ashley Lynn Chauvin’s family some peace.
After learning in recent weeks that police had arrested a Surrey man last fall in connection with the discovery of the 20-year-old’s body, Chauvin’s mother added her voice to the appeal.
“It’s hard to move on forward when you still have some unanswered questions,” Carmen Perron told Peace Arch News from her home in Ontario. “Somebody’s got to know something.”
Chauvin’s body was found in the 15500-block of 40 Avenue on July 19, 2012. In the months following the discovery, police ruled out foul play in her death, but shared little information regarding their investigation – including that they had identified a person of interest “within the first weeks.”
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said Wednesday there are other details that still cannot be disclosed, because the file remains open.
He did confirm that an arrest in the case was made last October, and that police had recommended an individual be criminally charged with “indignity to dead body” in connection with how Chauvin got to the South Surrey riverside. It’s believed she was moved there after she died.
“Our major-crime section… knew that at some point, someone did something terribly wrong, and they wanted to hold that person accountable,” Paquet told PAN.
Despite extensive efforts by police, Crown determined the evidence did not justify charges.
However, as with all unsolved cases, Paquet said, police have not given up on closing Chauvin’s file, and are asking for anyone who has information to come forward; call 604-599-0502.
“We still believe that there’s people out there that might have spoken to police and not said everything, or have not spoken to investigators yet, that might have key information to take that case to the next step,” he said. “Our investigators want to talk to those people, for the family’s sake and for Ashley.”
The person arrested in October “remains a subject of interest,” Paquet added.
Chauvin, whose daughter will turn three on Saturday, had moved to B.C. from Ontario days before her body was found.
Perron told PAN at the time that Chauvin had moved to start a new life. She described her daughter as someone who “loved to love people and loved to be loved.”
“She had good intentions and a good heart,” she said.
Wednesday, Perron said an autopsy confirmed there were drugs in her daughter’s system when she died, but she is certain Chauvin didn’t plan to end her life.
Perron struggles with not knowing exactly what happened, why her daughter died or who moved her to the river.
“It’s been a long journey. Hopefully, one day I’ll get the answers,” she said.
“She still has a little one here that’s without a mommy.”
Anyone with information that could help police may call the Surrey RCMP detachment at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.