Police release image of 'a woman of interest' in dry cleaner murder probe

BRAD PRITCHARD

May 11, 2010

Toronto homicide detectives have released a video still captured near a north Scarborough dry cleaning shop showing what police are calling "a woman of interest" after the body of a brutally murdered 61-year-old woman was discovered inside the store on Monday afternoon.

The video still was taken from a laundry mat a few doors down from Top 'A' Cleaners, which is at 3430 Finch Ave. E., where the murder took place. It shows a woman walking in a southeastern direction sometime before the noon hour, which is within the same time frame police estimate the crime to have taken place.

Police say there is no surveillance system in the dry cleaning store, and that it couldn't be confirmed whether the woman seen walking past the nearby laundry mat was actually inside the dry cleaning store at any point.

The woman seen in the video is described as being between 25 to 35 years of age. She was wearing her hair in a ponytail and was dressed in a long, dark overcoat with dark shoes and carrying a bag. She was last seen travelling south east of the plaza.

Just before 1 p.m. on Monday, May 10, police responded to a call about a suspicious death at the dry cleaning business located in the Warden Avenue and Finch Avenue area.

Police discovered the body of Rose Liu, the owner and operator of the business for the past 15 years. Det. Scott Whittemore said she was pronounced dead on the scene and that her body showed obvious signs of trauma.

Whittemore is calling this "a brutal attack," but wouldn't discuss further details.

Police have yet to release the exact cause of death, but a post-mortem examination is scheduled for today.

So far no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Police are asking the public to help identify the person of interest in the video capture.

If you have any information, please contact the homicide squad at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.