Northern Alta. remains ID'd as B.C. woman

Human remains found near Grande Prairie, Alta.,last month have been identified as a young woman from B.C.who went missing in 2005.

The Edmonton Medical Examiner's Office identified the remains through dental recordsas those of Rene Lynn Gunning, 19,of Fort St. John, B.C.

Her father wascontacted by RCMP on Thursday.

"I was devastated," said Jo Gunning. "It's something I didn't want to hear but at the same time it was something I needed to hear for us to move on."

"I been trying to prepare myself for this sort of thing ever since she went missing, but when it happens it's quite the shock," he said.

A second set of human remains found at the same locationis still unidentified.The remains were foundby campers60 kilometres south of Grande Prairie on May 21.

The investigation of the remains is being led by Project KARE, which examines cases of murdered or missing persons in Albertawho live high-risk lifestyles.

Policedon't believe Gunning or Knott worked as prostitutes, but say their reliance onhitchhikingput them at risk.

Gunningwas last seen on Feb. 18, 2005, atWest Edmonton Mall withKrystle Knott, 16,of Dawson Creek, B.C.,who is still missing, said RCMP.

The two young aboriginal women hadtoldfriendsthey were going to hitchhike hometogether toDawson Creek or Fort St. John.

Gunning had hitchhiked to the mall from Fort St. John the day before, whileKnott had arrived in Edmontona couple of weeks earlier.

The women did not know each other prior to meeting at the mall, police said.

The last six years have been difficult, said Jo Gunning, who has been raising his daughter's son now eight years old.

"I've been going on these Sisters in Spirit walks with the aboriginal society and that has given me a lot of comfort to know there are other people out there who know what I've been going through."