The 39-year-old man charged with murdering Ann Marie Shirran was her live-in boyfriend and the father of their one-year-old son, police confirmed Tuesday.
David Folker lived with Shirran in Kilbride for six months before her disappearance on July 18, Const. Suzanne FitzGerald told reporters at Royal Newfoundland Constabulary headquarters. Prior to that, the couple lived together on the west coast of Newfoundland, as well as in Nova Scotia.
FitzGerald also confirmed the police notified Child, Youth and Family Services — which is responsible for child protection — a week after Shirran was reported missing, as part of their policy.
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“On Aug. 10, the RNC contacted Child, Youth and Family Services again and requested that they become involved in the process, as they did,” FitzGerald said.
“As to what actions they’ve taken, I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
Shirran’s remains were found by campers in the woods south of Cappahayden Thursday. Initial reports were that the remains were “a skeleton.”
Out of respect for the family, FitzGerald said she would not comment on the condition of the remains.
“What I can tell you was that the body was decomposed,” she said.
Forensic anthropologists from Memorial University are helping in the investigation.
“Their level of expertise is crucial in investigations of this nature,” FitzGerald said.
“At this point, the office of the chief medical examiner is working with the RNC and forensic anthropologists.”
Few details
She would not comment about where and when Shirran, 32, was murdered, for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.
“The integrity of the investigation is paramount. We can’t say when he became a person of interest.” - Royal Newfoundland Constabulary media spokeswoman Const. Suzanne FitzGerald
FitzGerald would also not comment on what led police to Folker, who was the first to notify the police that Shirran was missing.
“The integrity of the investigation is paramount,” FitzGerald said.
“We can’t say when he became a person of interest.”
He was certainly a person of interest to members of the media Tuesday.
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