Queensland Police identify body of woman found preserved in wall in Brisbane home as Tanya Lee Glover
The body of a woman who was mysteriously found tightly wrapped and buried in a besser block wall has been identified.
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The body of a woman who was mysteriously found tightly wrapped and buried in a besser block wall in Brisbane has been identified as police continue to investigate her “peculiar” death.
Queensland Police confirmed the skeletal remains had been identified as Tanya Lee Glover, who possibly died more than 12 years ago.
Initial inquiries indicate she moved to Queensland from NSW in 2006 and resided in the Fortitude Valley area until 2010.
The grim discovery of the human remains were found by cleaners in the garage of an Alderley block of units about 10.45am on December 7.
It’s understood Ms Glover possibly died when she was about 38 years old, more than 12 years ago.
She was not formally known to Queensland Police, and no missing person reports had been made concerning her.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said investigators were now trying to piece together who might have known or harmed Ms Glover.
He said investigators were trying to also determine how many multiple people were involved in Ms Glover’s death.
“The really important process begins now, having to identify who is responsible for her death,” he said.
“The next piece of this investigative jigsaw puzzle is try to establish who knew Ms Glover so we can draw a victim profile of her and try to identify any persons who may have wished to harm her or had a motive to do so.
“This very next step is important and is crucial.”
Superintendent Massingham urged anyone who might have known Ms Glover between 2006 and 2010 to contact police.
“This is a single, vulnerable lady that lived a very carefree lifestyle and for whatever reason has been targeted for an unknown purpose and been dealt with in a very horrid way in the way they’ve concealed and left her body in that area for a number of years,” he said.
“At this stage, the autopsy has revealed some trauma to the body and as a result we are treating this as suspicious.
“This is peculiar, there is a motive around this we are yet to establish. Why someone would target a vulnerable, single female in this way and callously go about disposing of her body in a way and nature we have observed.
“This is concerning and peculiar.”
Police allege Ms Glover’s body was disposed of between 2009 and 2010.
Ms Glover’s parents were alerted by police of her death.
Superintendent Massingham said the woman’s parents didn’t realise their daughter was missing, having thought she was somewhere else in the country.
“They are obviously upset, they are obviously traumatised as a result of the news we’ve provided to them,” he said.
“They fell out of contact with her some time ago and were of the mistaken belief she was in some other part of the country.”
Ms Glover’s identity was discovered through a lengthy investigation involving the AFP’s national DNA program using a familial DNA program.
“Through the familial DNA process, there’s certain DNA markers which are used to match what was an unidentified DNA victim from Ms Glover to known DNA profiles of biological relatives,” Superintendent Massingham said.
“The AFP can through their skillset identify people within that family tree and with the assistance of investigators narrow down that search.”
Superintendent Massingham said investigators were still trying to determine her cause of death, but there was evidence of trauma.
Investigators are still also trying to establish whether she had been sexually assaulted before her death.
“This information is very fresh at this stage,” Superintendent Massingham said.
“There were a number of items located at the scene in terms of wrappings and the like that I spoke of at the time, they’re still the subject of ongoing DNA inquiries and also further ongoing forensic work.
“Our priority was to identify our victim and the other times were secondary, but they‘ll be part of the investigation”.
Superintendent Massingham told reporters in December the remains were found in a locked area behind a besser block wall and said it was “quite concerning” that the body had gone unnoticed.
He said the body was “very tightly wrapped” and covered in clothing and bedding.
Detectives from Hendra CIB and the Homicide Investigation Unit are continuing investigating her suspicious death.
Ms Glover is described as caucasian in appearance, between 155cm and 165cm tall, and she had dark brown hair.
Anyone with information in relation to any person who may have known Ms Glover, or had any interactions with her, particularly during the 2006 to 2010 period is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
Originally published as Queensland Police identify body of woman found preserved in wall in Brisbane home as Tanya Lee Glover