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WARNING

Perry Kit Wong, 72, and Eloise Fendelet, 71, were found dead on April 13th, 2011.

Wong and Fendelet were Edmonton's 17th and 18th homicide victims of the year.

Case status is open and active.

missing persons | homicide section takes over | bodies found | fraud charges

The mystery of the Wong-Fendelet double murder began as a missing persons case.

The couple were first reported missing to police on January 18th, 2011. Friends and co-workers had become concerned when they failed to return to work on January 3rd.

Police determined the common-law couple were last seen – separately – on December 27th, 2010.

Over three months later, they were found lying side-by-side in a field in west Edmonton.

Rumours swirled that they had been murdered "execution style" and their bodies were wrapped in garbage bags.

One family member speculated the couple's demise was related to Wong's lending of money. Court records indicated he had once faced fraud charges.

So far, police have revealed little in the matter.

On January 21st, 2011, media were summoned to police headquarters downtown about a missing persons case.

Annually, about 8,000 are reported missing to Edmonton police. If they knew something that set the matter of Perry Kit Wong and Eloise Fendelet apart, Cst. Jim Gurney and Cst. Sean Jenkinson of the Missing Persons Unit didn't let on.

"It's quite out of character for this couple to not be in contact," Jenkinson (at right) said.

The investigators said that while they were known to travel, the couple didn't take any of their vehicles and there had been no bank, credit card or cellphone activity that could lead to their whereabouts.

"When they didn't return to work on January 3rd, after the holidays, co-workers and friends became concerned and police were spoken to and they were encouraged to look into making efforts to locate them," Gurney said.

"At the present time we haven't been able to come up with anything further as to where they may be right now."

Several days later, on January 24th, police revealed that Wong had met up with friends in west Edmonton on December 27th.

They described the friends as driving a light-coloured, possibly grey or silver, Mercedes Benz around the Wedgewood neighbourhood.

Investigators said they were interested in speaking with the friends and other business partners or professional associates of the missing couple.

Police simply said they wanted to talk to those people to help put together a better timeline and flesh out the last time Wong and Fendelet were seen.

Investigators also revealed that Fendelet was not with Wong at the time as she was reported to be at other locations that day. Police didn't say where.

"We're not prepared to release that right now. She wasn't with him, suffice to say," was all Cst. Jenkinson would reveal.

About the possibility of foul play, it had yet to be ruled out, Jenkinson said.

"Obviously we are concerned there could be other things at play here, but it's still a missing persons investigation."

Homicide section takes over

On March 23rd, 2011, police announced that the investigation into the disappearance of Perry Kit Wong and his common-law wife Eloise Fendelet was now being handled by homicide detectives.

"The investigation hasn't come to us for any other reason other than it is a natural progression when all normal investigative channels by the Missing Persons Unit have been exhausted," Det. Dale Johnson of the homicide section said.

"What we can say is that we consider the couple's disappearance to be suspicious.

"The circumstances are sufficiently strange and atypical that we believe something ominous has happened to Mr. Wong and Ms. Fendelet that warrants homicide section taking over the investigation," Johnson said.

"I think that it's prudent that we investigate this circumstance as a potential homicide until proven otherwise."

While a few leads had trickled in, officers conceded that there had been little progress in the case.

"Right now, it is very much a mystery," Johnson said.

Bodies found

Late in the afternoon of April 13th, 2011, an unidentified man was out four-wheeling in a field near the intersection of 215th Street and Webber Green Drive in Lewis Estates.

The area, on Edmonton's westernmost edge, was in the process of being cleared for suburban development. It was there the off-roader came across what he thought was a body and called 911.

Police descended on the scene ... as did media who reported there were two bodies in the field – wrapped in garbage bags.

Initially investigators revealed little, saying only that the deaths were suspicious and that they had no idea of who the persons were.

Two days later, police announced autopsies revealed that the bodies of Perry Kit Wong and Eloise Fendelet had been found and that they were the victims of homicide.

Their cause of death was not released – not only for purposes of the investigation but out of respect for family members, police said.

Investigators would not comment on the condition of the bodies, if they had been found wrapped in bags, or if they had been murdered "execution style."

Detectives did rule out murder-suicide.

"All indications are that when they went missing on December 27, they met their demise close to then," Det. Dale Johnson said.

Media reported that no effort was made to hide the bodies and that there were no signs of exposure to the elements.

"It's difficult to know for certain, but taking into account the heavy snowfall that we experienced over the winter, it's entirely possible," Johnson responded.

Police would not confirm if the attack on the couple was targeted.

"Those are questions that are still unanswered and we are hopeful the investigation answers that," Johnson said.

"It is early in the investigation, even though they have been missing for several months.

"Part of our plea to the public is that people with that information come forward so that we can fully understand Perry and Eloise's background and history."

It was also revealed that Wong was dropped off in the Wedgewood neighbourhood in December 2010 by a woman.

Reports surfaced that Perry had a lot of money and had recently lent some to people from out of province against the better judgment of those close to him.

A relative of Eloise Fendelet said her family suspected foul play as soon as the pair was reported missing.

"When we first heard they were missing even, we were talking about it ... we knew something had happened to them," the woman said.

"We even thought maybe it had something to do with him, because he had a lot of money."

Fraud charges

Events surrounding the deaths of Wong and Fendelet may have had roots dating back nearly two decades – read more »

The investigation into the Wong-Fendelet murder case continues.

Those with information about the murdered couple were asked to contact Edmonton police at 780-423-4567, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.tipsubmit.com. Tips can also be text messaged.

All the information presented on this page has been compiled primarily from published media reports and should not be interpreted as having legal bearing or other prejudice against the individuals named on this web site.
The Last Link on the Left practices fair presentation and the disclosure of relevant interests.
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deadmonton 2011 - the wong-fendelet double murder