TILLSONBURG – Police have identified the human remains found east of London two days ago as those of a 72-year-old woman who had been missing for nearly six weeks.
Article content
Lola Watson was last seen in Tillsonburg on Nov. 8. Her disappearance prompted a widespread search by investigators and volunteers along with several pleas for help from citizens to locate her.
Article content
Sunday, police said her death is not considered suspicious.
“The OPP would like to take this opportunity to thank the community, members of the media along with the public who provided assistance,” Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said in a statement posted to social media. He added they offer their “deepest and sincerest condolences to the family members and friends of the deceased.”
Watson’s body was found Friday near Plank Line and Airport Road, in South-West Oxford Township, a rural intersection north of Tillsonburg. As of Sunday afternoon, investigators appeared to be gone from the scene – a largely undeveloped area surrounded by fields, one store and a few houses.
Article content
Watson left her home on Huntley Avenue in Tillsonburg at about 8:20 am on Nov. 8, police said. She was last seen on surveillance video walking near Canary and Martin streets in Tillsonburg at about 11 am that day – about one kilometer from her home. She was wearing a burgundy hat, a green puffer-style Calvin Klein winter coat with fur around the hood, blue jeans and black zipper-style Puma running shoes.
The area where police say her remains were found is a roughly two-hour walk from Watson’s home, or 10 minutes by vehicle.
Police have previously said Watson had connections to Mississauga and Toronto.
People at her Tillsonburg home declined comment when contacted by The Free Press last month amid the search.
The effort to find her involved officers searching on-foot, with all-terrain vehicles, police vehicles, a drone and helicopters, police previously said.
with files from Chris Abbott, Postmedia
Share this article in your social network