Montreal police have revealed they found the body of Jolene Riendeau last September but chose not to make the information public until now because it would have compromised the investigation.

Riendeau, who went missing in 1999 at age 10, was found near a bike path along Highway 15 south across from Nuns' Island.

Police were able to confirm her identity a month after finding the body. They were led to the scene by a citizen who discovered the body, and it took nearly a month to confirm that it was indeed Riendeau.

Police arrested a suspect last Friday after announcing earlier in the week they had discovered her body.

Montreal police Sgt. Ian Lafreniere said that the 47-year-old man was questioned throughout the day but then released without a charge at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday.

Investigators are treating the case as a homicide.

The family of the girl gathered Monday at the spot where her body was found and laid flowers.

"I remember the dad saying in the car, I drive by here every day, and I never saw her," said Pina Arcamone, director general of Missing Children's Network.

Police and her family had been searching in vain for clues since she was last seen outside a corner store near her Point Saint Charles home twelve years ago.

It's estimated that in the wake of her disappearance, Jolene's face appeared on more than one million missing child posters.

Police fielded in excess of 1,500 tips and even dredged the Lachine Canal twice in their search for the missing girl, but there was no sign of her until police discovered her remains on Wednesday, May 5.

The retired detective who followed up on several of those tips, Steve Roberts, says that while a lot of the evidence was most likely ruined by the elements, there are still leads that can be followed.

He believes the place to start would be with the graffiti artists who leave their trademark signatures at locations like the one where Riendeau was found.

"Every graffiti artist has its own tag," Roberts said. "So they're going to be seeing if they know the guys who put the tags to see if they saw anything."

 

Jolene's family is planning a funeral for their daughter at a church in the neighbourhood where she grew up.