On July 1st 1973, the body of Karen Woodcock was found on the side of the road, just south of Highway 7.
She had been hit over the head repeatedly. An autopsy revealed that death was caused by a fractured skull.
There was no blood at the scene, no defensive wounds on her body, and no evidence of sexual assault. The case has remained cold ever since.
Although she was not sexually assaulted she was found nude. Her clothing described as a black dress and clunky black or blue shoes were never recovered.
She was still holding on to her purse, which contained $32.
Karen Woodcock was a married mother of 7, living in Peterborough, Ontario.
Her husband Floyd worked as a welder at the Outboard Marine Co. in Peterborough.
Both were heavy drinkers, Karen was sometimes known to be drunk for 3-4 days at a time.
She had also returned to school, enrolling in a commercial stenographic course at Sanford Fleming Community College and graduating two days before her death.
On June 29, after her graduation ceremony, Karen and Floyd drank with Daniel Robert Smith at the McGillis Hotel.
At around 6:30 pm they left the hotel to continue drinking at Smith’s residence.
Floyd left around 8:30pm while Karen and Smith visited various bars. They were seen at both the King George Hotel and Queens hotel.
At the Queen hotel Smith left Karen alone for a few minutes to speak with some friends. When he returned, she had disappeared.
She had left the hotel and contacted another friend, Daniel Johnson. She stayed the night at Johnson’s place and the two spent the next day drinking together.
On Sunday, July 1st at 1:30 am Karen showed up at her father Edwin Mitchell’s home.
While there she made a phone call, then left a short time afterwards.
At 4:20 am, Harold Morton was on his way to work when he spotted a woman who seemed drunk hitch-hiking on the south side of the Parkhill Road intersection.
It was Karen, and this was the last time she was seen alive.
Three hours later Fred Simmond was driving to work, when he spotting the nude body of Karen Woodcock near the road on Villers Line
Floyd was immediately the prime suspect, but the children said he had been home sleeping during time time their mother went missing, and he was eventually cleared.
There is a $50, 000 reward for anyone who has information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the murder of Karen.
If you have information regarding the murder of Karen Woodcock, contact the Director of the Criminal Investigation Branch, Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122 or (705) 329-6111, their nearest police authority, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.