One year after retired teacher Audrey Gleave was found murdered in her home in Lynden, Ont. the police investigation is still ongoing.

Gleave's body was discovered by a friend in the garage of her home on Indian Trail in a rural area northeast of Brantford, Ont. on Dec. 30, 2010.

Hamilton police described the attack as vicious, saying she had been sexually assaulted stabbed several times and the body suffered significant trauma.

At the time Hamilton Police Det. Staff-Sgt. Steve Hrab called it the most horrific attack he had seen in 10 years, "I've been doing this for quite awhile and this one ranks up there in the top."

The 73-year-old lived alone with her two dogs and was last seen on Boxing Day, four days before her body was found. The dogs were found confined at the home.

Gleave was remembered at a service in early January as a caring, compassionate and thoughtful person, as well as a dedicated teacher to her students in Hamilton before she retired in 2006.

The violent attack left many in the area concerned for their safety, and police advised people to be cautious while stepping up patrols in the area.

One year later, residents in the Lynden area still find it hard to forget what happened according to Margaret DeBlieck, the owner of a nearby market.

"Everybody is still wondering…It gives you an uneasy feeling every time you drive by you just never seem to forget it. It's still there and you think of the anniversary coming up and it's still not solved and where is it going to go from here?"

While a 50-year-old homeless man was arrested and charged with first degree murder just over a month after Gleave's death, the charges were withdrawn in June due to a lack of evidence.

The police have not gone public with any new leads in the recent months, but insist it is not a cold case.

Hamilton Police Det.-Sgt. Ian Matthews says the force was reviewing evidence as recently as this month with Ontario's Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS).

"We have gone over many of the exhibits with them. Exhibits are still being tested by CFS and by other private agencies inside and outside Canada."

Police won't comment on the type of evidence being reviewed, but will confirm that the case has been labelled a priority.

While the motive remains a mystery, as do Gleave's movements in the days before her death, Matthews says it was not a random attack.

"The person who killed Audrey was a person who was known to her."

And while the case has not yet been solved, police say it has also not been forgotten.