Tanasichuk case
Woman body found
Maria Mary Tanasichuk was last seen on Jan. 15 and was reported missing 11 days later

MIRAMICHI After more than five months of searching, search dogs found the remains of Maria Mary Tanasichuk on Saturday.

The discovery was made about 200 yards off nature trail 42 behind the Portage Restaurant on Highway 11, on the southern outskirts of Chatham.

Tanasichuk, 41, was last seen on January 15 and reported missing on January 26. The Miramichi Police Force suspected foul play in the disappearance.

"I will tell you that it is a female and we believe that it is Maria Tanasichuk," lead investigator Paul Fiander said on Saturday.

"Once the autopsy is done then, hopefully, we’ll be able to confirm positive identification." The autopsy was performed in Saint John yesterday but no details or cause of death was released.

Fiander wouldn’t comment on the state of the remains, or on what methods may be needed for positive identification.

"I don’t want to comment on that," Fiander said.

In the past, police had identified Tanasichuk’s husband, David Tanasichuk, as a suspect in the case.

"That hasn’t changed," Fiander said in an interview yesterday.

David Tanasichuk is currently in jail awaiting a trial date for unrelated weapons charges.

Fiander couldn't say if police were any closer to making an arrest after Saturday's discovery of if new evidence was recovered.



"I can't say at this point in time, there's a lot of work to be done here yet and once the autopsy results are in we'll have to meet with the Crown prosecutor and there'll have to be some discussions."

Deborah Palmer, K-9 specialist with Maine Search and Rescue Group, found the remains at 11 a.m. on Saturday when her German shepherd, Alex, signaled his discovery.

"Without the dogs, this was an impossible task," Fiander said.

A total of 11 police officers, Maine Warden Service and the Maine Search and Rescue Group members searched the area this weekend for the second time, having already searched once before in May. The second search began on Friday at 5 a.m., having to stop at 10 a.m. because of the sweltering temperatures. They continued later that evening and again in the early Saturday morning hours.

Between the two searches, searchers completed 60 separate missions and covered 235 miles (378 kilometres) of land.

Searches used a process of elimination to find the right site using the specially trained cadaver dogs and Global Positioning Devices, GPS. After combing each area grid, searchers downloaded the information onto a laptop computer marking all covered areas on a map.

While this was the first collaboration by the Miramichi police with Maine authorities, New Brunswick has a mutual aid agreement with the State of Maine to share resources.

Fiander contacted Sgt. Patrick Dorion with the Maine Warden Service for their outdoor crime-scene experience.

Dorion said he wasn't optimistic during their first search. He said he, Palmer and other searchers may be return to Miramichi to testify in court.

Fiander said the day was bittersweet for Tanasichuk's family, having been relieved to find her body but still having to bear the crushing blow of the reality that she's gone.

"Well, it's a mixed emotion. They're relieved that as far as finding her there will be some closure now, but saddened at the fact that it's now confirmed that this is who we believe it is and that she is deceased now," Fiander said.

Meanwhile, Fiander said there are no new developments into the 1999 disappearance of Robert Breau, Tanasichuk's brother, and the 1999 stabbing death of Albert (Abby) Brown.

Police merged the three investigations in April.

Police are still waiting for results from the Forensic Crime Laboratory in Halifax.