Man charged with 2019 homicide of Wetaskiwin woman, Twyla Evans
Alberta RCMP's Historical Homicide Unit announced that 49-year-old Stan Cross has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Evans' death.
He was arrested without incident on June 20 and remains in custody. His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday at the Court of King's Bench in Wetaskiwin.
Evans, 39, was reported missing in September 2019. According to RCMP at the time, she was last seen between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sept. 6, leaving her residence to go to a movie. Her green Jeep Compass was found the following day parked near a Safeway. Despite multiple searches over the years, she has never been found.
'This was a particularly heartbreaking case due to the significant vulnerabilities the victim faced in her daily life,' said Insp. John Spaans, officer in charge of the Wetaskiwin RCMP detachment in a statement.
The RCMP did not elaborate on the nature of those vulnerabilities or whether Evans and Cross were known to each other. Police say no further details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the court process.
The Alberta RCMP historical homicide unit continued pursuing the case over the years, eventually uncovering new developments that led to the arrest.
'Our Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit is a team of dedicated and meticulous investigators who are working for those who can no longer speak for themselves,' said Insp. Breanne Brown of the Alberta RCMP serious crimes branch. 'Our team has been able to bring Stan Cross to justice for his actions against Twyla Evans and provide some answers to her family and friends.'
Brown said the investigation remains active, and efforts are still ongoing to recover Evans' remains.
'The Alberta RCMP does not stop investigating in these circumstances and our team continues to work to bring Twyla home,' she added.
Evans was described in the original missing person alert as a Caucasian woman, five-foot-seven with an average build, green eyes, shoulder-length blackish-red hair, and a rose tattoo on her arm. She wore dark-rimmed glasses and may have been carrying a red shoulder purse and wearing a light grey jacket at the time of her disappearance.
cnguyen@postmedia.com
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