Photo: Vancouver Police Department
Nearly 70 years later, the the boys were identified as 7-year-old Derek D’Alton and his 6-year-old half-brother David, descendants of Russian immigrants who arrived in Canada around the early 1900s.
The children lived in Vancouver and had a relative who lived near Stanley Park.
“These murders have haunted generations of homicide investigators, and we are relieved to now give these children a name and to bring some closure to this horrific case,” Vancouver Police Department Inspector Dale Weidman said. “Although significant folklore has surrounded this case for years, we must not forget that these were real children who died a tragic and heartbreaking death.”
David D’Alton.Vancouver Police Department
Investigators said the killer was likely a close relative who died around 25 years ago.
“After seven decades as a cold case, we presumed that the person who killed Derek and David had likely passed away,” said Weidman. “But at this stage in the investigation, it was never about seeing someone charged for these crimes. It was always about giving these boys a name and finally telling their story.”
Derek D’Alton.Vancouver Police Department
A break in the so-called Babes in the Woods case came in 2021 after police started working with Redgrave Research Forensic Services, a forensic genetic genealogy company.
Investigators found a distant relative of David and Derek living in a Vancouver suburb.
“When we spoke to this family member obviously they were at first surprised but immediately asked if it was in reference to one of their parent’s brothers,” Detective Constable Aida Rodriguez said at a February news conference.
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source: people.com
