A 31 year old man faces a charge of second degree murder in an investigation that goes back three years.
On Mar. 19, 2013 the body of 18 year old Mission native Rachel Pernosky was found in a rural area of Chilliwack.
Her death was immediately deemed a homicide.
On Friday, after months of gathering evidence, police arrested Rachel's half-brother, Matthew Joseph Pernosky.
He faces an additional charge of indignity to a body by having sexual contact with and disposing of the body.
“This is a tragic case that has left a family with many unanswered questions,” said RCMP S/Sgt. Jennifer Pound. “From the onset, IHIT and Mission RCMP have worked collaboratively to follow the evidence and secure the charges you see today. It has been three solid years of drive and commitment from all of the investigators involved.”
Making the case all the more heartbreaking, Rachel was mother to a toddler boy.
As charges were laid against the suspect, her family issued a statement that included the following;
“Her senseless murder has left behind a young boy who will never know his mother and will one day need answers to questions that he should never have to ask.”
“It is excruciating to not have Rachel in our lives any longer and what makes this more difficult is knowing that an estranged family member has been charged with her murder.”
“There are no words to describe the pain we are feeling or the difficulty we are facing with processing all of this.”