Police in Calgary have a suspect in custody in connection with the disappearance of a Calgary woman and her young daughter.
“We have been unable to find any evidence confirming that 25-year-old Jasmine Lovett or 22 month old Aliyah Sanderson are alive,” said Staff Sergant Martin Schiavetta of the Calgary Police Service homicide unit on Thursday afternoon. “Based on this, we now believe that we are investigating a double homicide.”
The mother and daughter were last seen alive on the evening of Tuesday, April 16 in the southeast community of Cranston where they lived. Police responded to the Lovett home on Tuesday, April 23 after members of Jasmine's immediate family became concerned when the mother and daughter failed to appear for a preplanned family meal.
Police say Jasmine's bank card was used on Thursday, April 18, but have not been able to confirm who made the purchase. “Even though we have activity on her bank card, it was an online purchase and at this time we are unable to determine if it was Jasmine using that bank card on April 18."
“It was used on an online purchase for some delivery, however, through the investigative process, we are unable to determine who actually received that purchase.”
Late Thursday morning, a suspect was apprehended in Cranston and taken into police custody for questioning. Schiavetta confirms the suspect is known to police and is a resident of Calgary but is not Aliyah's biological father. “I can confirm that the suspect in custody, as well as our victims, are known to one another.” A vehicle was also seized during the arrest.
Schiavetta says Aliyah's father has been cooperative throughout the investigation.
The homicide unit is focusing its investigation on a residence in Cranston as well as the greater Bragg Creek/Priddis area. Jasmine and Aliyah are said to have no obvious connections to the area but investigators were directed to the area following cell phone tower pings to electronic devices. Schiavetta did not disclose who the devices belonged to.
"Through the investigative process we have determined that the area around Bragg Creek may have been of interest for further investigation so we’re working with search-and-rescue and many external agencies to search areas that are very wooded and mountainous in that area.”
Property owners in the area are asked to search their land for anything out of the ordinary and to report any suspious activity they may have observed in the period between Tuesday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 23.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Calgary Police Service Homicide Tip Line at 403-428-8877 or anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers.
