Sixteen years—that’s a long time to wait to find your daughters killer
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“After we put the story back out in the media, we always get new tips,” said Jean Cusworth during a news conference back in October of 2006. “It’s only a matter of time.” Jean and Terry Cusworth are the parents of Jennifer Cusworth the nineteen year old who was murdered back in October of 1993 after attending a house party in Kelowna. The killer has been at large for 16 years.
Jennifer and her family were well known and well liked during their time they resided in Princeton. Jennifer had accumulated many friends. Friends were shocked by the news of her death. “It was a horrible time for all of us,” said fellow OUC student Pam Lindley. “Jennifer was such an awesome person and here we were—all out on our own—fresh out of high school and one of us was gone. It should have been the best of times for us, but instead we were all scared and shocked. I just wanted to quit my schooling and come home.”
Cusworth disappeared around 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 16 after attending a house party on Richter Ave in Kelowna. The party was announced in the nightclub Cusworth and her friends were spending some r&r time in and over 150 party goers proceeded from the club to the home. It was the last time Jennifer was seen alive.
Jennifer Cusworth’s case has been open and actively pursued by the RCMP Special Crimes Unit. Every year leads were followed.
“We can’t imagine what they have been through over these past sixteen years,” said Constable Steve Holmes in reference to Jennifer’s parents. This year after Cusworth’s parents gave their annual plea to the killer to come forward and to any one with information to call the RCMP a new tip did come in. New information sent RCMP back to the drawing board. Since Jennifer’s death, DNA retrieval and analysis have made huge advances. RCMP sent all items retrieved from the crime scene back to forensics and low and behold new DNA was discovered.
RCMP began reviewing the DNA samples collected from those who attended the party including contacting the ten-some people who had refused to provide samples back in 1993. All-in-all, over 270 DNA samples were re-examined. They were hopeful an arrest was imminent.
On October 25, mounties confirmed that a suspect had been arrested. Forty-three year old Neil George Snelson was at the party the night Cusworth was murdered.
“We can confirm that the accused Neil Snelson was at the house party the night of the house party on Oct. 16, 1993. We can confirm that he was a resident of Kelowna in 1993. We can confirm that DNA evidence was collected from the murder scene and that DNA was but one component in a myriad of facts and evidence that led to the identification and arrest of Mr. Snelson,” said RCMP spokesperson.
Sixteen years is a long time to wait to find out who killed your daughter, but that is exactly what Jennifer Cusworth’s parents were forced to do. They had even went so far as to hire a psychic. “When we consulted a psychic, she told us it was going to be years before this case was solved. We believe it will be solved. We know Jen’s killer is one day going to have to face the consequences of what he’s done.” Jean Cusworth spoke these words back in 2005. A parent’s dreams for their daughter were violently shattered 16 years ago, but their hopes for closure have finally arrived. Jennifer Cusworth would be 35 now if she was still alive.
Kelowna in 1993. We can confirm that DNA evivdence was collected from the murder scene and that DNA was but one component in a myriad of facts and evidence that led to the indentification and arrest of Mr. Snelson,” said RCMP spokeperson.
Sixteen years is a long time to wait to find out who killed your daughter, but that is exactly what Jennifer Cusworth’s parents were forced to do. They had even went so far as to hire a psychic. “When we consulted a psychic, she told us it was going to be years before this case was solved. We believe it will be solved. We know Jen’s killer is one day going to have to face the consequences of what he’s done.” Jean Cusworth spoke these words back in 2005. That time has come. A parent’s dreams for their daughter were viokently shattered 16 years ago, but their hopes for closure have finally arrived. Jennifer Cusworth would be 35 now if she was still alive.
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