Threatening man roamed Vancouver park days before slaying: joggers

There were some disturbing encounters involving a suspicious man at a Vancouver park days before a woman's body was found there two weeks ago, according to some joggers who called in to CBC Radio Thursday.

Wendy Ladner-Beaudry's body was discovered on April 3 at about 2:40 p.m. PT on a trail in Pacific Spirit Regional Park near the University of British Columbia, close to SW Marine Drive and Camosun Street.

Vancouver police said they haveno suspects in the killing.

Three women called in to a CBC Radio program in Vancouver on Thursday, describing their encounters with a man they described as shady and threatening.

'I won't feel comfortable until an arrest has been made on this case.' Leslie Black, park user

"We were chased by a man who initially was just hanging around near a trail intersection," said a caller who didn't want to be named.

"As soon as we went by the intersection and turned deeper into the woods, he went pounding after us," she said.

Another caller said she was walking through the park two days before the homicide and crossed paths with a man near the same spot where Ladner-Beaudry's body was found.

She said the man looked at her with a "chilling, almost psychotic expression" that left her shaken.

She said the encounter was so disturbing she reported it to police two days after news of the homicide was reported in the media.

Vancouver police said Thursday they are investigating every tip given by the public but would not comment on specifics.

Mitch Sokalski, west area manager of Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, said rangers have been keeping tabs on the park but have not boosted their safety measures.

"We've been taking advice or direction from the RCMP, [but] there's nothing at this point where they've advised us to do anything more than to reiterate their caution to hikers," Sokalski told CBC News Thursday.

Some people who were at the park on Thursday said they are concerned about their personal safety.

"I won't feel comfortable until an arrest has been made on this case," Leslie Black said.

"It's upsetting because I think I don't know if they [police] know more than what they're saying," jogger Kamini Jain said.

Ladner-Beaudry was co-chair of the BC Games Society and the sister of former Vancouver mayoral candidate Peter Ladner. She is survived by husband Michel Beaudry and two daughters.