April Dobson was having a glass of wine on a friend’s porch after work when she was shot in the back of the head.
Police say the loud bang sparked a flood of 9-1-1 calls on October 14, 2005, but help came too late for the 40-year-old mother.
It was the city’s first homicide of the year.
Witnesses described seeing a teenager running from the area just moments after the shooting. Police say the teen stopped at a nearby house, grabbed a mountain bike and rode down a dark catwalk and disappeared.
Over the years, he has remained as a person of interest for police. Investigators have not specified if he is a suspect or witness, and have yet to find him.
The cold-blooded murder and lack of an arrest left the quiet neighbourhood restless and on edge for months.
Barrie Police are offering a $50,000 reward to help solve the mystery surrounding Dobson’s death.
Investigators say they will be reconnecting with witnesses in the coming weeks.
Barrie Police Chief Kimberley Greenwood says they believe someone holds the key to unlocking the case and giving Dobson’s family closure. “Our Service has never viewed this investigation as a ‘Cold Case,’ and through the reconnection with key witnesses, I am confident that our homicide unit will one day soon provide the Dobson family the resolution they have been seeking since the murder of their cherished mother, daughter and friend to many.”
Police first issued a reward in 2011 and since that time received dozens of tips, exhausting every potential lead.
Investigators say they believe the person responsible for Dobson’s murder was familiar with the area and likely frequented it. They have said over the years they don’t believe the shooting was a random act.
Police are appealing to the public for help and say no tip is too small or insignificant and can also be made anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
