A 30-year international Vancouver Police investigation has culminated in a charge of second-degree murder against a Mexican citizen.

Juan Manuel Rueda Salud, now 68, is accused in the murder of Muriel Lindsay on or about February 16, 1996.

 “Muriel Lindsay was 40 and working at Canada Post on Georgia Street at the time of her death,” said Inspector Ryan Smith, who spent 12 years investigating the case. “She was deeply loved by friends and family, and she is sorely missed to this day.

 “While it is a relief to see a charge finally laid in this matter, it marks the start of another sad chapter for Muriel’s loved ones. Our thoughts are with them now.”

 Rueda Salud was identified as a person-of-interest in the case, but he left for Mexico in March of 1996. Investigators located him in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2015.

 “The case is now before the courts, so I can’t discuss specific evidence, but I can say that our forensic investigators gathered a considerable amount of evidence at the crime scene. We worked diligently for decades with other agencies in Mexico and the United States, as well as Canadian law enforcement agencies and our Forensic Science and Technology partners at BCIT, and we were able to identify Rueda Salud as a suspect,” says Smith. “He was formally charged November 2, 2024, and arrested under a provisional warrant in Mexico on January 22, 2025.”

 After 18 months in custody appealing the extradition order, Rueda Salud was eligible for extradition to Canada on July 15. VPD investigators flew to Mexico on Monday and escorted him back to Vancouver on Wednesday, where he remains in custody. 

 “This was a complex case that involved multiple agencies and many officers,” said Ryan. “It shows our collective commitment to solving cold cases, regardless of how long it takes.”