UMVA has learned that a shocking arrest has been made in a decades-old cold case that has left a community searching for justice. Rafiou Sow, a Guinean national, was taken into custody at his home in Conakry on Friday night.
Sow is accused of murdering his ex-wife, Rachelle Wrathmall, a 31-year-old Sherbrooke resident who was found stabbed to death in her Jeep on June 27, 2007. The case had gone cold, but new evidence and a fresh investigation have led authorities to believe they have their man.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Sow's arrest comes two days after a public prosecutor launched a judicial probe targeting the now 49-year-old Sow. The investigation reveals that Sow had fled to Casablanca on June 28, 2007, just a day after Wrathmall's murder, and had used a fake identity to board a Royal Air Maroc flight.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Sow had a history of domestic violence against Wrathmall, whom he had married in 2006 in a bid to gain Canadian citizenship. Friends and family of Wrathmall had expressed concerns about Sow's behavior, describing him as jealous and manipulative.
The Sûreté du Québec (Quebec Provincial Police) says it will cooperate with Guinean police if they make a request through Interpol to assist in the investigation. Wrathmall's family has indicated they are willing to testify against Sow.
In a stunning revelation, it has emerged that the initial investigation was botched due to a mistake by a pathologist who claimed Wrathmall had died on the morning her body was discovered. This error led to a delay in laying charges, allowing Sow to flee the country.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Sow has denied ever being married to Wrathmall, but friends and family are relieved that the noose is tightening on him. "Once you add up all the circumstances, it's clear it's him," said Éric Bolduc, head of the cold case unit at the Sûreté du Québec.
Depending on the outcome of the investigation, Sow could be tried for Wrathmall's murder in Africa, as Guinean courts have jurisdiction to try serious crimes committed abroad. The case has sent shockwaves through the community, with many breathing a sigh of relief that justice may finally be served.
