The BC Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of a woman who was found deceased in a golf course retaining pond in Kimberley on April 15, 2013.

She was Deborah Marie Blais, aged 55, a resident of Kimberley.

Friends and family of Ms. Blais began a search for her on the afternoon of April 14 after she had not returned home from a walk and the family dog had been rescued from a retaining pond on the Bootleg Gap Golf Course in Kimberley. When she was not found, the RCMP and Search-and-Rescue became involved in the search.

Ms. Blais was found in the same retaining pond by an RCMP Underwater Recovery team on the morning of April 15. The pond is about three metres deep.

The BC Coroners Service and RCMP continue to investigate this death.

The family of Ms. Blais has been notified of her death. On behalf of the family, the BC Coroners Service asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.

For further information, please contact:

Barb McLintock
Coroner, Strategic Programs
BC Coroners Service
250 356-9253