The Death of Alloura Wells

Jul. 15

TORONTO, ONTARIO

In 2017, a woman found a body in a ravine. The journey to figure out who the body belonged to would take many twists and turns.

Mental Health Resources:
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+ Find a therapist @ Psychology Today
+ 10 minute Yoga videos on youtube

Links to resources and initiatives from this episode:
Trans Pride Toronto facebook page
Independent review into how police handle missing persons cases - submissions until August 31, 2020
Maggie’s Sex Worker Action Project
The 519

Credits:
Research, co-producer and 2SLGBTQIA+ content advisor: Eliot Newton www.genderbandit.com
Audio editing and production: We Talk of Dreams
Disclaimer voiced by the host of Beyond Bizarre True Crime
Theme Song: We Talk of Dreams

Music credits:

Kai Engel – Warm of Mechanical Heart, Aspirato, Soli, Fryeri, Delirium
Chris Zabriskie – Cylinder Two, What does anybody know about anything
Kevin McLeod Incomptech – Immersed
S. Cheremisinov – Mothers Hands
Philipp Weigl – Western Shores
Theme Music by We Talk of Dreams

Resources used in this episode:

Interviews with Michelle Wheeler

Balkissoon, Denise, and Tu Thanh Ha. “Death of Alloura Wells tells a story of a vulnerable community.” The Globe and Mail. December 15, 2017. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/death-of-alloura-wells-tells-a-story-of-a-vulnerablecommunity/article37356642/

Brockbank, Nicole. “From Project Houston to Bruce McArthur’s life sentence: A timeline of what we know.” CBC News. July 21, 2018, last update February 8, 2019. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mcarthur-investigation-timeline-1.4697727

Brown, Dexter. “Police now searching for transgender woman missing for more than 3 months.” CBC News. November 08. 2017. Https:dexter //www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/missing-woman-search-1.4392288

Cardwell, Mark. “Quebec university to open country’s first ‘body farm’ research site.” University Affairs. February 12, 2019. https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/quebec-university-to-open-countrys-first-body-farm-research-site/

Carter, Adam. “Her final hours.” CBC News. March 23, 2020. https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/tess-richey-death-trial-kalen-schlatter

Contenta, Sandro. “She’s in charge of Canada’s first ‘body farm’ and yes, she knows that’s creepy.” The Toronto Star. November 27, 2019. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2019/11/27/shes-in-charge-of-canadas-first-body-farm-and-yes-she-knows-thats-creepy.html

D’Amore, Rachael. “Memorial service held for Alloura Wells as police continue to probe death.” CP24. December 12, 2017. https://www.cp24.com/news/memorial-service-held-for-alloura-wells-as-police-continue-to-probe-death-1.3718414

DiMatteo, Enzo. “Toronto police-LGBTQ relations reach breaking point over McArthur murders.” Now Toronto. April 3, 2018. https://nowtoronto.com/news/toronto-police-bruce-mcarthur/

Doherty, Brennan and Alina Bykova. “Toronto police to review handling of missing persons cases.” The Toronto Star. December 8, 2017. https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2017/12/08/toronto-police-to-update-public-on-downtown-deaths-disappearances.html

Draaisma, Muriel. “Body found in ravine undergoing DNA test to see if it belongs to missing transgender woman.” CBC News. November 28, 2017. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/body-rosedale-ravine-alloura-wells-1.4421448

Goodfield, Kayla. “A timeline of key events in the murder case of Tess Richey.” CTV News. January 30, 2020. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/a-timeline-of-key-events-in-the-murder-case-of-tess-richey-1.4789920?cache=ngyhfzxv%3FclipId%3D373266

Herhalt, Chris. “Person of interest sought in the death of transgender woman.” CP24. December 8, 2017. https://www.cp24.com/news/person-of-interest-sought-in-death-of-transgender-woman-1.3713287

Jones, Alexandra Mae. “Survey aims to reach LGBTQ community after Bruce McArthur conviction.” CTV News. November 19, 2019. https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/survey-aims-to-reach-lgbtq-community-after-bruce-mcarthur-conviction-1.4692501

Mann, Arshy. “A trans woman was found dead in Toronto. A trans woman went missing. Why do we still not have answers?” Xtra. November 21, 2017. https://www.dailyxtra.com/a-trans-woman-was-found-dead-in-toronto-a-trans-woman-went-missing-why-do-we-still-not-have-answers-81381

Mann, Arshy. “After Alloura Wells’ body was identified, her friend and family could finally mourn.” Xtra. December 17, 2017. https://www.dailyxtra.com/after-alloura-wells-body-was-identified-her-friends-and-family-could-finally-mourn-82749

Mann, Arshy. “Toronto police board approves external review into handling of missing persons.” Xtra. March 23, 2017. https://www.dailyxtra.com/toronto-police-board-approves-external-review-into-handling-of-missing-persons-85393

Mann, Arshy. “Toronto police regret lack of LGBT outreach before undercover park sting.” Xtra. November 01, 2017. https://www.dailyxtra.com/toronto-police-regret-lack-of-lgbt-outreach-before-undercover-park-sting-80683

Mann, Robert W, William M. Bass, and Lee Meadows. “Time Since Death and Decomposition of the Human Body: Variables and Observations in Case and Experimental Field Studies.” Journal of Forensic Sciences, JFSCA, Vol. 35, No. 1: January, 1990. Pp. 103-111.

Mochama, Vicky. “Monica Forrester is a grassroots activist to watch in 2018.” OurWindsor.ca December 27, 2017. https://www.ourwindsor.ca/opinion-story/8025524-monica-forrester-is-a-grassroots-activist-to-watch-in-2018/

Powers, Lucas. “Top LGBT agency issues apology for ‘comedy of errors’ in Alloura Wells case.” CBC News. December 13, 2017. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/lbgt-advocacy-agency-apology-1.4446546

Xtra Staff. “‘There’s an opportunity to hold systems that are supposed to protect us accountable’.” Xtra. January 31, 2019. https://www.dailyxtra.com/theres-a-opportunity-to-hold-systems-that-are-supposed-to-protect-us-accountable-141763

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/transgender-violence-reports_n_5a131adee4b0bfa88c1bffa3?guccounter=1

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2019/09/23/41471629/is-the-life-expectancy-of-trans-women-in-the-us-just-35-no

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24313294/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/body-rosedale-ravine-alloura-wells-1.4421448

https://www.the519.org/news/community-message-dec2017

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/canada-alloura-wells-27-transgender-toronto-july-2017.355755/

https://www.cp24.com/video?clipId=1258325

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/search-for-missing-transgender-woman-alloura-wells-1.4398966

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/evaawm/friends-of-missing-transgender-woman-say-police-arent-doing-enough%E2%80%99

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/evaawm/friends-of-missing-transgender-woman-say-police-arent-doing-enough’

https://www.facebook.com/Maggiestoronto/photos/a.10150751722805571.729914.40003475570/10159809574325571/?type=3&theater

https://www.dailyxtra.com/a-trans-woman-was-found-dead-in-toronto-a-trans-woman-went-missing-why-do-we-still-not-have-answers-81381

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/body-rosedale-ravine-alloura-wells-1.4421448