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GUELPH -- Police were mum about what Terri-Lynn McClintic led them to yesterday in a farmer's field 15 km northeast of here -- whether it's the remains of murdered Grade 3 student Victoria Stafford or evidence in the case.
The Woodstock woman, accused of abducting the eight-year-old, was brought to the wooded area on Wellington Rd. 22, east of Hwy. 6, by OPP detectives in the hunt for the girl's body.
Michael Rafferty, 28, and his girlfriend, McClintic, 18, were arrested Tuesday night in connection with Tori's abduction and murder.
He was charged with first-degree murder. Both are charged with abduction and she's also charged with being an accessory after the fact.
It's believed McClintic was in custody for breaching conditions relating to an unrelated matter when investigators focused on her.
Her arrest led to Rafferty and she has since been helping police in trying to locate the body.
Tori vanished April 8 after she left her Woodstock school with a woman wearing a puffy white coat. Because she went willingly, police believed the girl knew her abductor.
McClintic tried to hide from news cameras by crouching between seats in the unmarked silver police van as it left the farmer's field.
The area she toured with police was scoured Wednesday after she zeroed in on it by helicopter.
Later yesterday, McClintic was flown again over the area in an OPP helicopter, possibly seeking out other sites.
When police left the scene Wednesday, area residents were relieved, thinking the search found nothing.
Resident Teeny Matter believed it was over when the police and dogs left and "that was a relief."
But police returned yesterday morning, closing the dirt road leading into the field.
Police also stopped a work crew from plowing and fertilizing the field, in case it disturbed the scene.
"I hope they find something soon," Matter said. "It's devastating. I don't know what to think at this point."
She found it "creepy" that McClintic was brought to the area, Matter said.
"It means they have some suspicion" evidence was found in the area, said resident Doug Brown. "We really don't know anything."
His wife said she was relieved when police had left, "and now they're back and she is here."
At around noon, OPP also converged on a green dumpster at Jones Baseline and Regional Rd. 22.
Police wouldn't say whether McClintic told them about the dumpster that was 2 km from the wooded area.
Indeed, OPP are saying little of substance.
Dean Smith, who rents the dumpster, said he was overwhelmed by the police and media presence.
He said he piled garbage in the dumpster a few days ago and didn't notice anything unusual in the container that is emptied once a month.
"I don't blame them," Smith said.
The dumpster is placed at the edge of the road allowing for easy access for the disposal company, but it would also make it easy to dump evidence.
"It's what happens in the city, not in the country," Smith said. "I have a nine-year-old daughter. It's a sickening thought."
ROB.LAMBERTI@SUNMEDIA.CA