Missing Calgary woman's partial remains found, charges laid

The partial remains of Calgary woman who was reported missing more than five years ago have been located, police say, and charges have been laid against a woman suspected of killing her.

Tammie Doreen Howard — who also went by the name Irish — was last heard from on Dec. 24, 2016. Her family reported her as missing in April 2017.

She was 49 when she disappeared. In July, Calgary police said that after tirelessly trying to find answers about her disappearance, it was believed she was the victim of a homicide.

On Wednesday, police said they had located her partial remains.

"Over the last five years, our missing persons unit investigators have followed up on leads and pored over evidence in an effort to locate Irish, who we believe was murdered in a particularly violent way," said acting Staff Sgt. Lee Treit in a release.

"We are saddened to share that through DNA processes, we have located and identified partial remains of Irish and continue to search for additional remains."

Police said Natalie Renee Vinje, 36, of Calgary has been charged with first-degree murder in relation to the case. Vinje remains in custody and will appear in court on Aug. 19.

"We have reason to believe that the accused did not act alone and continue to search for answers in this homicide investigation," Treit said in the release.

The investigation into Howard's death is ongoing, and police said they have reason to believe her remains could be located east of Calgary. Search teams are currently examining a large area of terrain on Siksika Nation land.

Anyone with information about Howard's death is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.