Witness sought in Vida SMITH homicide

Calgary Police Service homicide detectives are releasing CCTV images of a potential witness in the Vida SMITH homicide investigation in hopes of identifying the woman.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, Vida SMITH, 69, travelled to Calgary from Chestermere to meet with a friend. After she failed to return home and missed a medical appointment later that week, her family contacted police. On Friday, July 31, 2020, police announced that they believed Vida had been killed, and charged Kevin BARTON, also known as Chris LEE, 60, of Calgary, with one count of manslaughter.

Investigators reviewed CCTV and are looking to speak with a woman who is believed to have witnessed an interaction between a man and a woman who were inside a white SUV, parked on the west side of the Sunridge ATB, located at 2555 32 St. N.E. The interaction occurred on the day of Vida’s disappearance, Tuesday, July 21, 2020, between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Beyond being a witness, the woman is not alleged to have had any other involvement in the case.

“From what we observed on CCTV, we believe that this woman witnessed something that caught her attention as she was walking by a vehicle,” says Acting Staff Sergeant Stuart Cole of the CPS Homicide Unit. “We’re very interested in speaking with her and are looking for the public’s help to identify her.”

The woman is described as short in stature, with a slim to medium build, and was wearing glasses, a black head covering, black backpack, black long sleeve shirt, black leggings with a loose fitting black and white skirt, and black shoes.

Police continue to search for Vida's remains

Investigators continue to search for Vida’s remains and ask anyone who saw BARTON or his beige Cadillac Escalade, in Calgary, Edmonton, or in between, on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, to contact police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or the Homicide Tip Line at 403-428-8877. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:

TALK: 1-800-222-8477

TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org

APP: "P3 Tips"

Case # 20299322/3828