Ontario police said Wednesday that foul play is suspected in the suspicious disappearance of an Orangeville woman whose blood-stained car was found this week.
Officers say Sonia Varaschin failed to show up for work at a pharmaceutical company in nearby Mississauga on Monday.
That morning, police discovered her blood-spattered Toyota Corolla in an alley in Orangeville. Then, less than a half kilometre away, police found blood on the front steps, front door and inside the townhouse where she lived.
Surveillance images show that a minivan was in the area of where the Corolla was discovered, and police originally believed that the driver of the van may have information about the case.
However, police said late Wednesday investigators identified and spoke to the van's owner, who could not provide any information about the case.
Earlier Wednesday, OPP Const. Peter Leon said there are so far "no suspects at the present time."
In a release issued Wednesday morning, police said that "based on forensic examinations of both her residence and the area where her car was located, (investigators) believe that Sonia Varaschin has met with foul play."
Officers from the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, a K9 unit and Orangeville police are searching rural areas and country roads in Dufferin County that surround the town while forensic crews have been carefully searching the ravine near her home for clues.
Reports indicate tactical officers specialized in rural searches are involved with the aid of all-terrain vehicles and a helicopter. They are also reportedly using specialized GPS equipment to track in detail the areas searched by officers.
CTV Toronto's Alicia Markson reported that in the small community of Orangeville, many residents were deeply concerned about Varaschin's whereabouts.
For much of Wednesday, an OPP chopper could be heard circling the city as police searched large swaths of countryside for clues.
Investigators are concerned for the 42-year-old woman's safety and are asking anyone with information about the case to come forward.
Varaschin is described as standing five-foot-one and weighing 125 lbs. She has brown hair with light-coloured streaks.
Orangeville police have set up a dedicated tip line at 519-941-2522, ext. 2211. Tips can also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or emailed to police from the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch website for unsolved cases at www.opp.ca.
