Police have located the body of a North York woman who has been missing for two days. They now consider her to be a homicide victim, the 27th so far this year.
Consuelo Valencia-Russo was last seen Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. She told family members she was heading off to a hair appointment. However, she never appeared for the appointment.
Her last known location was in the Grandravine Drive and Sentinel Road area.
Police described her as white, five feet tall, 140 lbs. with green eyes and long, wavy, blonde hair. She had been driving a grey, 2008 four-door Toyota Corolla -- Ontario licence plate 224 PWK. Police have now impounded that car
On Thursday morning, police made a plea for help in finding her. Officers at 31 Division held a news conference late Thursday afternoon to say they were going to consult with homicide detectives.
A news conference had been scheduled for 7 p.m., but it got abruptly cancelled.
"On Thursday, July 9, 2009, at 6:30 p.m., police located a woman's body inside a vehicle in the Jane Street/Sheppard Avenue area. She was pronounced dead at the scene," police said Thursday evening in a news release.
"The name of the victim is being withheld, pending formal identification," they said, adding a post-mortem examination will be conducted.
CTV Toronto reports the body was found in the car's trunk in an apartment building's parking lot at 2425 Jane St.
Valencia-Russo has a teenage son. The boy's father is city councillor Cesar Palacio, who had a brief relationship with the woman. "This is a very sad day ... for the whole family," he told reporters in a brief statement.
Valencia-Russo also has an ex-husband.
The Toronto Star quoted a police officer as saying neither men were suspects in her disappearance.
Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, or to text TOR and send their message to CRIMES (274637).
With a report from CTV Toronto's Galit Solomon
