PIKANGIKUM FIRST NATION, Ont. — Ontario Provincial Police are now offering rewards of $50,000 apiece for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people who killed two residents of Pikangikum First Nation over a decade ago.
Judy Ann Quill, 33, was last seen leaving a relative's home in the early morning of March 22, 2009.
A short time later, she was found with serious blunt-force injuries in a clearing near a road.
Quill died later at the local medical centre.
In 2008, the body of 83-year-old James Strang was found in his home, where he had also succumbed to blunt-force trauma.
OPP Commissisoner Thomas Carrique and Detective-Inspector Randy Heida travelled to Pikangikum on the weekend to announce the rewards.
Heida says investigators did "a lot of work" on both cases, but police hope the reward and a special telephone tip line they have established will spur someone who has information about either homicide to come forward.
"We're pretty confident that there's somebody from the community or who was in the community at the time will have heard or seen something, and they haven't provided us with that information yet. This is a way to make it easier for them to decide to help us and contact us," Heida said.
He said it's important for the community of Pikangikum as a whole, but in particular for the victims' families, to bring closure.
"Every day, these families are still suffering with their loss, and are looking for answers," the Detective-Inspector said.
The tip line which could lead to someone claiming the $50,000 reward is 1-833-728-3415.
