Unsolved Cases in Province of British Columbia

Last seen by her family

File Number: 104200212

North Delta, B.C. - Brittany Stalman was last seen by her family on November 13, 2006 as she walked out of the home they shared in North Delta, BC. After an argument on the phone with her boyfriend, Brittany told her father she was going on a walk to clear her head and left around 1:00 pm, and it would be the last time her family would see her.

Did Brittany kill herself after arguing with her boyfriend? This is possible, of course, but unlikely. Brittany's mother, Sandra Stalman, explained that her daughter "does suffer from bouts of depression." However, Sandra also added that Brittany's "got ups and downs no different than any other, but she's basically a happy kid." People can hide their depression from their friends and family. But I find it odd that if Brittany did kill herself her body has never been found.

Physical Description

Date Of Birth: October 8, 1989
Age at Time of Disappearance: 17 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'6"; 110 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Female; White; Long Brown Hair; Brown Eyes.

Brittany's loved ones need at least some sense of closure. The Delta Police say that they've "exhausted all traditional avenues" in their search for Brittany. Someone out there knows what happened to Brittany, and it's time for them to come forward.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the Delta Police at 604-946-4411.

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DEATH - BODY FOUND

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File Number: 104200014

Vancouver, B.C. - Rhona Margaret Duncan had attended a party the night of July 16th, 1976 when she had last been seen.

After leaving her friends to walk home around 2:45 AM, her neighbours woke up to people arguing in the street. After the neighbour yelled back the voices stopped.

Rhona's body was found the next morning in a different neighbour's garage. Murdered.

After conducting DNA and polygraph tests as well as speaking with her friends, family and acquaintances, all of the high profile suspects had been eliminated and the murder remains unsolved in BC.

Last Seen At About 9:30 p.m. Waiting for a Bus

File Number: 104200210

Sooke, British Columbia - Jesokah was 17 when she went missing on Sept. 26, 2001. She was last seen at about 9:30 p.m. when she was waiting for a bus at the corner of Sooke Road and Idlemore Road in Sooke.

Her father said his daughter was well known and well liked and he couldn't imagine her taking off without telling anyone.

"She has a little puppy," said her father Clayten at the time. "If she was going to go off some place, she would bring the puppy here for us to look after. She didn't do that."

Jesokah was living with a friend at the time in downtown Sooke and was attending Edward Milne Community School.

Jesokah had lots of friends, a steady boyfriend, and attended high school in Sooke, B.C. Jesokah moved in with one of her girlfriends in August 2001 but she had a good relationship with her parents and kept daily contact with them after she moved out.

On September 26, 2001, Jesokah visited a friend in the afternoon then left shortly after 9pm to walk the short distance to the bus stop. She never boarded a bus and has not been seen since.

At the time of the disappearance, the police issued statements and undertook what they described as an intensive ground, air and water search of the area. Sooke RCMP soon announced foul play could not be ruled out. The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit took over the investigation.

Police conducted searches under the Sooke River Bridge but they found nothing.

The bus stop where Jesokah was last seen is gone now, moved to a different location, but an overgrown memorial to her disappearance still marks the spot.

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Missing since Spring 1997 from Chilliwack

File Number: 104200199

Chilliwack, B.C. - The Chilliwack RCMP are asking for the public?s help in locating a missing person. Paul David Garcia (Date of Birth: November 6th, 1968) has not been seen by his family since the spring of 1997.

Paul Garcia was reported missing to the Chilliwack RCMP in 2003 and investigators have been unable to locate him, or any possible current whereabouts. Paul Garcia's family believes he may be living on the streets in Vancouver and want him to make contact with them. Paul Garcia's last known address was unit 207 of 9260 Young Road, Chilliwack BC (The Empress Hotel).

Paul Garcia possibly left Chilliwack in 1997 and at that time may have been heading to Vancouver to find work. He has had no known police contact since 1997 and has made no contact with family.

Anyone with information about Paul Garcia's whereabouts or who may have had contact with him since 1997 are asked to call the Chilliwack RCMP ay 604-792-4611. Anonymous information can also be provided at anytime through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online at www.chilliwackcrimestoppers.ca

VANISHED AFTER A BIRTHDAY PARTY

File Number: 104200043

On May 28, 2011, Madison (Maddy) Scott went missing after a birthday party at Hogsback Lake, 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Vanderhoof, British Columbia.

She planned to spend the night camping with a friend, but around midnight, a fight broke out between a few men at the party and the friend, who was injured as a result of the fight and drunk, decided to leave the party with her new boyfriend.

Witness accounts vary, but this was about three hours before the party died down and most people left. Some of the last people to have left, between 3 and 4 am, reported speaking with Scott and asking if she wanted a ride home. This was the last time anyone reported talking to Scott.

The remains of Madison Scott have been discovered on a Vanderhoof property. BC Coroner's Service identified Scott's remains on May 28, 2023, days after the discovery was made on a rural property on the east side of Vanderhoof, said the RCMP. Investigation remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with any information is asked to call in tips to (778) 290-5291 or (877) 543-4822.

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Last seen on Highway 16

SHE FAILED TO RETURN HOME FROM A WALK

File Number: 104200050

Prince George, BC, Canada - Helen Claire Frost was reported missing by her sister on 15 October 1970, having failed to return home from a walk two days earlier.

Helen Frost was born in Reigate, England on October 17, 1952 to parents Dennis and Daphne Frost. She had an older sister named Sandy. Her father was a green beret in the British Commando Brigade for 12 years, and worked on the docks in London during World War II. In 1956, the family moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. After the move, Dennis worked for the city of Nanaimo as a sweeper operator.

Helen's family was stable and her mother and father were married for 67 years, until Dennis died on July 20, 2014. Sandy described them as "good parents despite the head-strong actions of their two rebellious teenage girls."

Helen moved to Prince George, British Columbia in 1969, and Sandy joined her in November of that year. They shared an apartment on the 1600 block of Queensway, along with a woman named Darlene and her infant child. In the spring of 1970, Helen went to a home for unwed mothers in Kamloops where she gave birth to a daughter, Sandra Jeanette, on May 13th of that year. Shortly afterwards, she returned to Prince George and her baby was taken into government custody.

She unsuccessfully tried to regain custody of the baby in the summer of 1970. Sandy recalled that Helen came out of the social worker's office, "just bawling her eyes out, and we never talked about it again."

Sometime between the birth of her child and her disappearance, her relationship with the father of the child, Stefan Grumpner, dissolved. She worked a number of odd jobs while she was in Prince George, including a busser at the Hudson's Bay Company cafeteria, and a gas station painter for a company that operated between Prince George and Prince Rupert.

Helen was single at the time of her disappearance. She had given birth to her daughter, Sandra Jeanette, on May 13, 1970 in Kamloops and moved to Prince George shortly afterwards. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

Last seen walking on Beach Avenue

File Number: 104200205

Peachland, B.C. - Thomas Matson, who was staying in Peachland, BC temporarily while enroute from Calgary to Vancouver, was last seen on May 15, 1999 walking on Beach Avenue in Peachland, BC.

Matson was reported missing to West Kelowna RCMP on March 28, 2000. Despite an extensive police investigation, there has been no sign of Thomas since he disappeared.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact West Kelowna RCMP at (250) 768-2880.

Disappeared in May 1989 From a Campsite

File Number: 104200052

Kelowna, British Columbia - Charles Horvath-Allan, 20, disappeared in May 1989 from a campsite. A Canadian-born British national, was hiking across Canada and had plans to meet up with his mother and stepfather in Hong Kong by August 1989, but never made it.

He had been staying at a local hostel, the homes of friends and the Tiny Tent Town Campsite + RV Pk, 3316 Lakeshore Road, V1W 3T1, (near to route 97 in the city) and registered at various student employment agencies during May 1989.

He was last positively identified on the 26 May 1989 cashing a cheque at a bank in Orchard Pk. He was due to meet up with his mother and step-father in Hong Kong for his 21st birthday (and his mother's 40th) in August of that year.

He last contacted his parents by fax on 11 May 1989 but failed to contact them again to enable his mother to purchase his ticket to travel to Hong Kong.

A missing persons listing for Horvath-Allan noted that he left behind his tent and personal belongings and that foul play is suspected.

One source claims that they met Horvath-Allan in May 1989 and allowed him to stay at their home in Kelowna. The same source claims they saw him alive in the Live Wire nightclub in August 1989, but this claim is unverified.

Denise Horvath-Allan telephoned the Kelowna Detachment of the RCMP asking for their help in locating her son as she was anxious as she had not received an expected call from him in May 1989. After several more calls to the RCMP, Denise Horvath-Allan reported Charles missing on the 10 August 1989.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched a search of the area inside the campsite in July 1990, after his mother Denise Horvath-Allan advised them that Charles had been camping at Tiny Tent Town. The RCMP retrieved some of Charles' clothing and a shaving bag from a 1989 Tiny Town resident.

In September 1995, the police found a decomposed body in the logging country around Kelowna. Horvath-Allan's family waited for six weeks to be told that the body found was not of their son. At that time, the police hadn't contacted Mrs. Allan or any family member about the find of the dead body; the family were informed via friends and relatives who had seen reports in the local press.

By 2010, the Serious Crime Unit of the RCMP at Kelowna listed Horvath-Allan as deceased. According to the Police, the case is still an open investigation.

VANISHED METERS FROM HIS PARENTS

File Number: 104200056

Victoria, British Columbia - 31 years ago, on March 24, 1991 Michael Wayne Dunahee, 4, disappeared from a school playground at Blanshard Park Elementary School. His parents were just metres away from him, but no witnesses to his presumed abduction have been identified and no subsequent confirmed sightings of him have been made.

The family arrived at the school around 12:30 pm, and when they got there, Michael asked his mom if he could visit the playground, which was near the field where the football practice was taking place.

Despite having a gut feeling that "something wasn't quite right", his mother allowed him to walk over to the playground by himself, but told him that once he got there, he had to "stay there and wait for Daddy to come". However, when Michael's dad Bruce came to the playground, Michael was not there. Around fifty people began to look for Michael, and his parents immediately notified the police.

Michael's disappearance became one of the largest police investigations in Canadian history, and to this day, over 11,000 tips have been received by the police. The case was a major story for many years, and was reported across Canada and the United States. However, despite a large number of tips and a CAD$100,000 reward, the police still do not have any solid leads in the case.

DEVELOPMENTS

In 2006, reports of a young man who physically resembled Michael and had been living in the Interior of British Columbia since 1991 breathed new life into the case. However, this young man was confirmed by DNA testing not to be Michael.

In early 2009, police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin found a missing person poster of Michael at the home of Vernon Seitz, 62, who had confessed to his psychiatrist that he had murdered a child in 1959 when he was 12 and knew of another child killing. Seitz was later found dead by Milwaukee police, apparently from natural causes.

In 2011, with the 20th anniversary of Michael's disappearance approaching, the police were notified of a man living in Chase, British Columbia who looked like Michael, but DNA testing later confirmed that he was not Michael.

In 2013, a man with the username Canuckels posted on the message boards of the Vancouver Canucks' official website claiming that the police were coming for a DNA test. They had requested a blood sample from a man in Surrey, British Columbia who they believed could possibly be Michael. However, on September 9, the Victoria Police Department stated that the Surrey man was not Michael after DNA testing was done.

In 2020, a Tiktoker by the name of "shanger danger" reportedly found the shirt Michael was said to be wearing at the time of his disappearance. The rare Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shirt was found submerged underwater, but after Michael's family reached out to the Tiktoker, they saw the shirt and realized it was not the exact same shirt he was wearing during his disappearance.

This case remains open.

VANISHED AFTER NIGHT OUT

File Number: 104200062

Nanaimo, British Columbia: Lisa Marie Young, 21-year-old indigenous Canadian, disappeared on June 30, 2002. She had spent the night at a local nightclub and several house parties, before accepting a ride to a fast food restaurant from a man she had just met. Although Young has never been found, her disappearance is being investigated as a homicide.

On the night of June 29, 2002, Young left her parents residence at 11:00 P.M. to go to a nightclub with several friends. Her parents found it strange, as Young had a busy schedule for the week. Young spent the night at a nightclub in Downtown Nanaimo called Jungle (now known as Club 241) where she and several friends celebrated the birthday of their friend, Hulley. After the nightclub closed at 2:30 A.M. on June 30, 2002, one of Young's friends began a conversation with Christopher Adair, who offered them a ride to a house party in southern Nanaimo in his red Jaguar. Despite just meeting him, Young and friends accepted the offer.

The group spent an hour at the first house party before moving onto a second house party. At the second house party, Young became hungry, but could not find anything to eat that party because she was a vegetarian. Adair offered to take her to a nearby sandwich shop, which Young accepted. The last time Young was seen was around 3:00 A.M., where she was leaving the house party with Adair.

Not long after Young left the party, Hulley received a phone call from her. She told him Adair did not take her to a fast food restaurant nor drop her off at home, but instead she was sitting in his car in a driveway and Adair would not let her leave. The final time Young contacted Hulley was at 4:30 A.M., when she sent him a text message reading: "come get me, they won't let me leave."

Young's final phone signals were from the Departure Bay area of Nanaimo. Family members of Young have never heard anything about her cellphone being traced down and do not know what happened to it.

Adair was interviewed two months after Young's disappearance. Young's mother spoke with Adair in a police interrogation room. Prior to the meeting, she was asked to bring pictures of Young as a child, with the hopes of guilt tripping him into confessing.

She asked him of Young's whereabouts, where he responded with: "I can't. I'm sorry, I don't mean to disrespect your family." Authorities refuse to confirm the validity of this conversation. Adair's car belonged to his grandmother, Geraldine "Gerry" Adair, who was a prominent member of the business community in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. She sold the car during the investigation and threatened to take legal actions if her grandson continued to be implicated in Young's disappearance. She died in 2011.

Hulley, the last person to hear from Young, died on March 25, 2018. While walking along British Columbia Highway 19A with a 27-year-old female friend at 1:00 A.M., he stepped into the northbound lane to retrieve something he had dropped, only to be struck by a car.

In May 2020, 'Where is Lisa?' a new in-depth podcast about Lisa Marie Young's case was published. Lisa's story was the first season of Islandcrime.ca The podcast reached the top 10 True Crime podcasts in Canada on the Apple charts.

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Disappeared En Route To His Trial

File Number: 104200063

Thomas Grant Hadwin (1948 - February 1997) was a Canadian forest engineer. In January 1997, he cut down the Golden Spruce, a landmark tree in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, as a protest against the logging industry. While facing criminal charges, he disappeared en route to his trial.

Hadwin was born in West Vancouver, British Columbia. His family was active in the logging industry. Hadwin himself became a logger and later became a logging engineer. However, he became increasingly upset with the logging industry's methods and exhibited signs of mental instability. In January 1997, Hadwin went to the Queen Charlotte Islands and purchased a chainsaw. Early on the morning of January 20, 1997, Hadwin made a series of deep cuts in the Golden Spruce. The tree fell two days later.

After cutting down the tree, Hadwin left the islands. He sent a fax to the media and the Haida nation claiming responsibility for the act, saying that he was motivated by "rage and hatred towards university trained professionals and their extremist supporters...." The act outraged people throughout Canada and received extensive media coverage. Hadwin was arrested, ordered to return to the islands to stand trial, and released on bail.

Hadwin's court appearance was scheduled for February 18, 1997, in Masset, British Columbia. Numerous people speculated that Hadwin would be killed before he could stand trial. Hadwin said that he feared for his safety if he were to travel by ferry or plane; he decided to make the trip across Hecate Strait by kayak. On February 11, Hadwin set out from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, but turned back a day later after being caught in a storm. On February 13, Hadwin set out again. The next day, he was spotted north of Prince Rupert, but he failed to appear in court as scheduled. There have been no confirmed sightings of Hadwin since then.

In June 1997, Hadwin's empty kayak and most of his gear were found on an uninhabited island northwest of Prince Rupert. Because Hadwin was known to be an expert in wilderness survival, many believe that he faked his own death and vanished into the wilderness. However, because the winter weather was rough and Hadwin had made many enemies, he may have drowned or been murdered. Hadwin's ultimate fate is unknown.

REAL ESTATE AGENT MURDERED

File Number: 104200064

Victoria, British Columbia - Born on November 2, 1983 to Jeff Buziak and Evelyn Buziak, Lindsay Elizabeth Buziak, a Canadian real estate agent was mysteriously murdered on a property viewing in Saanich, a suburb of Victoria, on February 2, 2008.

She had one sister, Sara. In 2008, Lindsay, 24, was an ambitious Victoria estate agent who had made a promising start to her career and was described by her family, friends and colleagues as being popular and caring. Her boyfriend, Jason Zailo, is part of a prominent and wealthy family that owns a successful real estate business.

In late January 2008, Lindsay Buziak received a mysterious call from a woman who told her that she and her husband were looking urgently for a home to buy, with a budget of $1 million. According to Lindsay, the caller had a foreign accent that sounded "a bit Spanish but not really." Lindsay believed that the caller could have been faking an accent in order to conceal her identity. Unnerved by the nature of the call, Lindsay asked the caller how she had got her personal cell phone number, as she was a relatively junior employee. The caller said that a previous client of Lindsay's had passed it on to her.

Lindsay told her boyfriend, Jason Zailo, and her father, Jeff Buziak, about the call and revealed her concerns. Jason encouraged Lindsay to take on the client because of the high commission she would get from the sale, and to reassure her, Jason offered to be outside the property in his car in case anything went wrong. Lindsay found a suitable property and made an appointment with the client to view it at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 2, 2008.

That day, Lindsay and Jason ate a late lunch at a restaurant, paying the bill at 4:24 p.m. They left separately in their own vehicles. It is believed that Lindsay went home to change clothes first before the viewing.

Despite the client telling Lindsay that she would come alone, a couple turned up for the viewing. At 5:30 p.m., two witnesses saw a Caucasian man with dark hair and a blonde-haired woman aged between 35 and 45 wearing a distinctively patterned dress. The witnesses then saw Lindsay shake hands with the couple, and from the body language of their greeting it appeared that she had never met them before. The three of them then entered the house.

Jason parked outside the property for about 10 minutes. He then decided to drive back out to Torquay Drive and park there, as he did not want to be "a nosey, interfering boyfriend". After waiting another 10 minutes parked on Torquay Drive, the street on which the house is located, De Sousa Place, is a small cul-de-sac (No Exit) road containing four houses. Number 1702 is at the outer end of the cul-de-sac on the intersection of De Sousa Place and a main thoroughfare, Torquay Drive., he texted Lindsay to ask if she was OK. She never replied.

Lindsay was found lying in a pool of blood in the master bedroom. She was pronounced dead when the paramedics arrived. She had been stabbed multiple times. There were no defensive wounds, indicating that she had probably been initially stabbed from behind and had no inkling of what was about to happen. None of Lindsay's possessions had been stolen and she had not been sexually assaulted.

The identities of the purported clients to whom she was showing the property and who are the prime suspects in her murder remain unknown. As of 2020, her murder remains unsolved.

More details on this case, Watch Video (opens in new window) via Global News.

STRING OF MURDERS

File Number: 104200074

British Columbia - This highway is one of the most infamous due to the string of murders that occurred between the years of 1969 all the way up until 2011. Occurring between Prince George and Prince Rupert in British Columbia on Highway 16. The police have released a list disclosing that the victims count is currently at nineteen but many speculate that it goes as high as into the forties due to undocumented first nations women being abducted from the highway.

As of now only one of the many murders/ kidnappings has been solved, with Cody Legebokoff was found guilty. Though many speculate that serial killer Bobby Jack Fowler is the man behind most of the killings, police have never been able to prove it.

VICTIMS WERE DISCOVERED IN EAST VANCOUVER

File Number: 104200075

Vancouver, British Columbia: The Hemlock Valley Murders - Three murder victims were discovered in East Vancouver in 1995, Tammy Pipe, Tracy Olajide and Victoria Younker. The women were all prostitutes that had worked in the same area of Vancouver, BC. As well, they had all been murdered the same way and left in the same area. Quickly the police realized they were looking for one serial killer and believed it was Ronald Richard McCauley.

The suspect had a history of assaulting and attacking prostitutes and had previously served time in jail for rape and attempted murder. While he was indefinitely jailed, police still couldn't fully prove it was McCauley.

By 2001, police tested DNA samples that had been collected in 1995 and discovered that they did not match Ronald McCauley. Since then there have been no other suspects.

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Remains found in the park in 1953

104200076



Genealogy Resolves Canada's 'Babes In The Wood' Case

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Went missing from a house party in Kelowna

104200223



Man Found Guilty In Death of Jennifer Cusworth

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VANISHED IN FRONT OF THE EMPRESS HOTEL

File Number: 104200080

Victoria, British Columbia: Emma Fillipoff (born January 6, 1986) is a Canadian woman who has been missing since November 28, 2012, vanishing from in front of the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, at the age of 26.

Emma Fillipoff was last seen in the immediate vicinity of the Empress Hotel in Victoria between 7:15 pm and 8:00 pm on November 28, 2012. She was observed being interviewed by Victoria police. Her red 1993 Mazda MPV was found in the Chateau Victoria parking lot with almost all her belongings in it, including her passport, library card, digital camera, clothes, a pillow, assorted ornaments, laptop, and recently borrowed library books. It is believed she used the van as storage. She spoke with Chateau Victoria staff at 7:00 am on the morning of her disappearance.

In the days preceding her disappearance, Fillipoff had phoned her mother in Ontario, asking if she could come home. Each time her tone would quickly change and Emma would then ask her mother not to come. On the final call, her mother became aware that Emma had been staying at the Sandy Merriman House, and even though Emma had asked her not to come, she made plans to fly out immediately. Emma's last words to her mom were, "I don't know how I can face you." Emma's mother arrived at Sandy Merriman House at about 11:00 pm on the 28th, three hours after Emma had been last seen by police at the Empress Hotel.

Early on the day of November 28, Fillipoff had been captured on a 7-Eleven store video on Government Street purchasing a pre-paid cell phone. The video showed her hesitating in departing the store, seemingly checking the street outside. She returned to the 7-Eleven to buy a pre-paid credit card for $200. Reportedly, she left the Sandy Merriman House at about 6:00 p.m. that day. Soon after, she hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to the Victoria International Airport; however, she soon exited the taxi for lack of adequate fare, even though she had the $200 prepaid card.

Minutes later, Fillipoff was seen walking barefoot in front of the Empress Hotel. An acquaintance of hers, Dennis Quay, called 9-1-1 to say a woman was in severe distress outside the hotel. Victoria police arrived, took Fillipoff's name, and spent 45 minutes speaking with her. Deciding that she was not a threat to herself or anyone else, they released her. Until a report surfaced in June 2018, no one reported seeing Emma since 8:00 pm that night. Later that evening, police met Fillipoff's mother at Sandy Merriman House; by midnight Emma was classified as a missing person.

Post-disappearance:

Initially the police stated that Fillipoff had last been seen "with friends several blocks away on Burdett Avenue between Blanshard and Quadra streets." Investigators explored more than 200 leads, turning up minimal information. Most evidence indicates she was planning to return home to Ottawa, but there was no proof that she ever left Victoria. The cell phone she bought had never been activated.

MURDERED ABROAD

File Number: 104200082

Chetwynd, British Columbia - Andrea Scherpf, 23, and Bernd Goricke, 26, were German tourists hitchhiking through Chetwynd. It is believed that the couple met their demise when they took a ride from a man in a 1960's Chevrolet Pickup truck in early October of 1983.

The unidentified driver of the vehicle shot both victims and dumped the bodies 32 kilometers west of Chetwynd. The killer stole the victims' property and dumped a pair of blood-spattered jeans in a nearby trashcan.

Andrea and Bernd's bodies were found approximately 20 miles from where they were picked up in Chetwynd, close to British Columbia Highway 97 and the Pine river. They had each been shot. Their estimated time of death occurred on or near October 3rd, considering Andrea's travelers checks had been used to purchase fuel on October 4th and 5th in Prince George, Quesnel, McLeese Lake, Lac La Hache and 100 Mile House.

A man named Andy Rose was falsely accused of the crimes by a coworker and subsequently served nearly ten years in prison for murders he did not commit. He was exonerated thanks to DNA testing in 1996.

Vance Hill, originally from California, was another suspect who wound up getting arrested for separate charges on October 21st, 1983. After his short prison stay, he moved back to California to be near his estranged wife and children. His wife, Willadeen Hill, told her nephew that Vance confessed to the murders before committing suicide in 1985. The nephew later turned the information into the police. Vance Hill was later exonerated as well, thanks to DNA evidence.

Andrea and Bernd's murders remain unsolved. If you have any information regarding the murders of Andrea Scherpf and Bernd Goricke, please contact the Royal Canadian Mountain Police at +1(250)-788-9221.

ABDUCTED AND MURDERED

File Number: 104200088

Surrey, British Columbia: On January 6, 1995, Melanie Carpenter, a 23-year-old woman from Surrey, had received suspicious phone calls from a man feigning interest in a business deal. Later that day, Carpenter was abducted from where she was working alone at a tanning salon in the Fleetwood town centre of Surrey. Carpenter's corpse was found shortly afterwards along an isolated road in a First Nations reserve near Hope, a rural town in British Columbia's Fraser Canyon, 45 kilometers (28 mi) northeast of Chilliwack. Her body had been abandoned in a crevice and concealed by a white blanket.

According to her father, Carpenter was afraid of being abducted. He said he advised her not to put up a struggle if attacked by a man with a weapon, that it was better not to resist and to stay alive. Since her abduction, though, he has had cause to reconsider. "I wish," he said, "I had told her to fight with everything she's got."

The afternoon that Carpenter went missing, a bank security camera recorded a 37-year-old man, Fernand Auger, making a $300 withdrawal using Carpenter's debit card, and the footage was shown on national TV the next day. Auger was a drifter from Ontario, frequently working as a waiter in restaurants, and had been a resident of Calgary, Alberta, until moving to British Columbia days before the murder. In August 1994, Auger had been released from prison in Bowden, Alberta, where he had served a 16-month sentence for armed robbery, and was on parole at the time. Auger quickly became the number one suspect in the abduction, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On January 15, 1995 Auger was found dead at a vacant home in High River, Alberta, 55 kilometers (34 mi) south of Calgary, by a real estate agent during a viewing with a client. Auger had committed suicide in a garage on the property by inhaling carbon monoxide fumes from the engine of his car, a Hyundai Excel rented from Calgary.

Body discovered at 5456 Vedder Road

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File Number: 104200197

RCMP Chilliwack File Number: 2005-20448

Chilliwack, B.C. - On June 15th, 2005, Chilliwack RCMP responded to a complaint of a found body. A deceased adult male was located in a residence at 5456 Vedder Road.

The male has been identified as Angus Stirling a 49-year-old Chilliwack resident.

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KILLED VIA GUNSHOT WHILE GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR

File Number: 104200102

Surrey, British Columbia: East Indian newspaper publisher Tara Singh Hayer, 62, was killed in 1998 via gunshot while getting out of his car in the garage of his residency. It was later determined that Hayer was murdered after reporting about terrorism, as this had not been the first attempt on his life. As of 2020, no one was ever charged with Tara Singh Hayer's murder and the case remains unsolved.

DRUGGED AND STRANGLED

File Number: 104200125

Richmond, British Columbia: With the exception of the Pickton case, very few Vancouver-area murders have caught international attention like this one. It was covered by Unsolved Mysteries, a Current Affair and other media publications. Why? Well...

In June 1989, the body of Cindy James, a 44-year-old nurse, was found in the yard of an abandoned house in Richmond. She had been drugged and strangled while her hands and feet had been tied behind her back. The autopsy report indicated she'd died of an overdose of morphine and other drugs, and despite being hogtied, her death was ruled a suicide by the RCMP.

But her family never believed this was a suicide. For more than six years leading up to her murder, James had reported hundreds of harassment incidents to the police and to her family. The specifics of the case are too lengthy to go into detail here, but it's worth reading in full.

The short of it is, soon after leaving her husband in 1981, James started receiving threatening phone calls. The police started to investigate but over the next several months, the harassment increased. She reported prowlers outside her house at night. Windows were smashed and phone cords cut. According to a friend, James claimed bizarre notes were being left on her doorstep, and that she had been attacked several times.

James tried to hide her identity, changing her last name, moving houses, painting her car, etc. But the harassment continued, including the violent attacks. But because there were never any witnesses, the police became suspicious that James was lying about the case, or was withholding important information.

Months before her death, James was found hypothermic in a ditch six miles from her home. She was wearing a man's work boot and glove and had a nylon stocking tied around her neck. She was cut and bruised, yet could not recall how she'd gotten to the ditch. Again, police were suspicious about her story.

Shortly after, a fire was started in her basement; an arson, according to police, that only could only have been started by someone in the house, since there was no evidence of a break-in, James was suspected and she was checked into a psychiatric facility. She checked out 10 weeks later.

On May 25, 1989, she disappeared. Her car was discovered not far from her house, with groceries and a wrapped gift in the backseat. There was blood in the car. Her body was discovered two weeks later in an abandoned house.

James' ex-husband, a psychiatrist, was considered a suspect. So was her boyfriend at the time, who worked as a policeman. Neither were charged. Even after a public inquest where 84 people testified, no arrests were made.

The case remains unsolved.

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ALL 52 PASSENGERS WERE KILLED

File Number: 104200106

100 Mile House, British Columbia: A scheduled domestic flight heading to Whitehorse, Yukon exploded on July 8, 1965. All 52 passengers were killed, in this aviation incident that was later discovered to have been caused by a bomb. It is considered to be one of Canada's largest unsolved mass murders. RCMP investigators believe that the perpetrator was one of four suspicious passengers onboard, classifying it as a suicide attack.

RAPED, MURDERED

File Number: 104200122

Kelowna, British Columbia - It's been 26 years since Mindy Tran rode her bike down a quiet Kelowna road and became the victim of one of this city's most infamous and ultimately unsolved crimes.

The eight-year-old had gone out to play just after dinner, Aug. 17, 1994. When she didn't return, a search was called and hundreds of area residents fanned out across the neighbourhood to find who was described by many as a studious and friendly child, according to Capital News archives.

Her body, which showed evidence of strangulation and sexual violation, was ultimately found six weeks later, Oct. 11, 1994, when a man with a divining rod led police to a shallow grave in Mission Creek Regional park.

Last year 2019, 25 years later, a small group of mourners met at the Mindy Tran Memorial, a tree with a sign next to it featuring her school photo and a dedication to the memory of the little girl.

The dedication reads, "See this tree that will grow instead of Mindy."

Roses were laid, kisses were blown and a prayer was said in Tran's memory.

"I want to remember the little girl. I want her to rest in peace," said Shui Lee, a friend of Tran family who helped search for Mindy.

Lee spoke on behalf of her parents who did not attend the ceremony because it was "too painful." However, Lee said that the couple is still grateful for the support of the community in the search for their daughter.

"Every night they are still so angry," said Lee.

For Sandi Giddings, her son lost a best friend all those years ago.

"There's not a day that goes by that we don't think of her," said Giddings, who also helped search for Tran.

Tran's memorial and her tree sits at the Springfield/ Ziprick Road parking lot, close to where she was found.

Shannon Murrin, a neighbour, was charged with her murder, but was acquitted and returned to Newfoundland, joined by one of his jurors, Kathy MacDonald, who later admitted they had fallen in love during the trial.

Since Murrin's acquittal, the murder remains unsolved.

What happened? Who is responsible? What do you think?

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VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE

File Number: 104200126

Kamloops, British Columbia: The Mounties are re-examining a missing-person case in British Columbia that dates back half a century, hoping renewed publicity might spark an old memory that could explain what happened to a 21-month-old toddler who vanished without a trace -- or possibly prompt the missing girl herself, if she is still alive, to come forward.

Edna Bette-Jean Masters disappeared on July 3, 1960, as she was playing at a friend's house in the Red Lake area, west of Kamloops in B.C.'s Interior.

Her disappearance prompted a massive search, but police and search-and-rescue personnel were unable to turn up any sign of her.

Now, investigators plan to use new technology, such as DNA examination and software that digitally ages photographs, in an effort to generate new leads in the case.

In 2013, the case was re-opened by B.C. RCMP after 50 years. Cpl. Cheryl Bush pointed out there has never been any evidence to suggest the girl is dead, raising the possibility Masters, who today would be 62 years old, is out there somewhere.

"There is a possibility that this person is still alive. There was never any evidence found to the contrary," Bush said in 2013.

"If that's the case, then maybe this will spark somebody to ask some questions that they always wondered about their past."

Masters, who was referred to by her middle name, Bette-Jean, was last seen playing with family and friends at a friend's residence.

The young girl, who had curly blonde hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion, was wearing a green bonnet, a pink T-shirt and faded overalls at the time. She had an oval-shaped burn scar on her left arm, which investigators believe would still be there today.

When Masters was reported missing, the surrounding area was searched extensively. RCMP officers used an airplane and a police dog and enlisted the help of volunteers, but they were unable to turn up any trace of Masters.

One of the only leads was a sighting of an unfamiliar 1959 Chevrolet car with Alberta plates that was seen nearby with a man and woman in their late 20s. The car had either "cat eye" or "bat wing" tail lights, the RCMP said.

Investigators have never been able to determine the identities of the couple or whether they were connected to Masters' disappearance.

Masters' mother and two siblings are still alive and still wondering what happened to the young girl, said Bush.

Bush said police hope the attention to the case might prompt someone to remember a detail that could be related, no matter how seemingly insignificant, and contact police.

She said such reviews are routine in historic missing-person cases.

"It's part of our standard practice to review these files, just like any other RCMP detachment in the province, particularly for historical cases that were investigated prior to new technology or investigative techniques," she said.

Bush did not have any details about what specifically the review will involve or how long it might take.

Anyone with information on Bette-Jean's disappearance, no matter how minor the detail, is asked to come forward and contact the rural RCMP at 250-314-1800. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

BODY FOUND IN A ROOF WATER TANK

File Number: 104200146

In 2013, a Canadian student, a Canadian student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, went missing while traveling in California. She was traveling alone and had scheduled to check out of her hotel on Jan. 31, but once the front desk didn't hear from her, they called the police.

After about a week of searching, the police released a disturbing video that showed Elisa's last known sighting. In the footage, Lam is seen exiting and re-entering the elevator, talking and gesturing in the hallway outside, and sometimes seeming to hide within the elevator, which itself appears to be malfunctioning. The elevator surveillance footage showed Elisa acting strangely, and as the video went viral, many people had several theories for her behavior, from mental illness to paranormal forces.

Maintenance workers at the hotel discovered the body from a water tank atop the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on February 19, 2013 when investigating guest complaints of problems with the water supply. Guests at the hotel also started complaining about "black" and foul-smelling water. Investigators said the cause of death was drowning.



The circumstances of Lam's death, once she was found, also raised questions, especially in light of the Cecil Hotel's history in relation to other notable deaths and murders. Her body was naked with most of her clothes and personal effects floating in the water near her. It took the Los Angeles County Coroner's office four months, after repeated delays, to release the autopsy report, which reports no evidence of physical trauma and states that the manner of death was accidental.

Guests at the Cecil, now re-branded as Stay on Main, sued the hotel over the incident, and Lam's parents filed a separate suit later that year; the latter was dismissed in 2015.

As for why or how Elisa got into the water tank remains a mystery.

DISAPPEARED AFTER CALLING STEPFATHER

File Number: 104200148

On the 19th of February, 1983, at approximately 8:15 pm, Joanne Marie Pedersen, 10, went missing from the Penny Pincher Store near the corner of Vedder Road and Watson Road in the Vedder Crossing area of Chilliwack, BC., after a trivial argument with her sister, who was then 11.

According to The Globe and Mail, the spat occurred while the girls were walking home from the mall with their 14-year-old cousin. Joanne's mother and stepfather were at a nearby Legion hall, Constable Lea-Anne Dunlop of the Upper Fraser Valley detachment said.

Her sister and cousin ran ahead and, as a prank, locked Joanne out of the house. Joanne tried for a few minutes to get in. But it was cold and raining, Constable Dunlop said, and she went to a corner store close to the house to phone her parents. By the time her sister opened the door, Joanne had already left.

Joanne reached the store, but the clerk was busy with other customers. Joanne went outside to use a pay phone. She called the operator for the number at the Legion and then phoned her stepfather, who arranged to pick her up. When he arrived at the store a half-hour later, she was gone.

In 2008, Joanne's mother made an impassioned plea for an unidentified man who was seen with her daughter shortly before she vanished to finally speak to police.

"As a mother, I have suffered very much through the years. I really miss Joanne," Angela Reilly says in an emotional videotaped message distributed by the RCMP.

"She was so happy. She sang a lot," Ms. Reilly says despondently, as she urges the man to contact police. "As a mother, I'm pleading with you to come forward. Please do that for me."

Police say Joanne was last seen with an adult man at a telephone booth. The man was described as Caucasian, approximately 20 to 30 years old, 5'6" to 5'7" in height, slim to medium build, with light to dark hair that was below the ears. He was clean shaven and wearing a dark jacket.

Initially, the unidentified man was painted in a negative light, Constable Dunlop said. But after consulting with a behavioural scientist, police now believe the man last seen with Jo-Anne was there to help her. "Our hope is that the individual will know we understand he was trying to help and will come forward to talk to police," she said.

In 2011, an anonymous letter was sent to the Chilliwack RCMP about Joanne's disappearance, but while it generated lots of tips, her case remains a mystery. They believe the man is still somewhere in the Fraser Valley and aware of the media coverage, Constable Dunlop said.

Joanne's family did not want to speak to the media about their ordeal, the constable added. A re-enactment of the incident, staged by the Chilliwack RCMP and Crime Stoppers, is on YouTube.

If you have any information regarding this case please contact the Chilliwack RCMP Community Policing Office, Serious Crime Unit, at 1-604-792-4611 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Disappeared from Her Bedroom

File Number: 104200159

Casey was only three when she disappeared from her bedroom in North Delta, British Columbia. She was last seen by her mother at bedtime in the evening of Aug. 5, 1989. She was living with her mother, her one-year-old sister and her mother's boyfriend.

Casey didn't know the neighbourhood very well because the family had only moved to the area a month before. The family was new to the region and Casey would not have known the area well. Her family had just moved to North Delta from Langley, British Columbia a month previously, so the neighbourhood would be unknown to her.

Police say it is possible Casey was abducted and is living somewhere else in Canada or the United States. She would now be 35 years old.



Missing since - Aug. 5, 1989

Year of birth - 1986

Age at disappearance - 3

Gender - female

Eye colour - brown

Hair - red, short

Teeth - Other, chipped left top tooth

Height - 91cm / 3 ft 0 in

Weight - 13kg / 29lb

Build - slender/thin

Complexion - light/fair

Dozens of volunteers joined the search for Casey, but no trace of her has been found.

Officers say the girl's disappearance had a devastating effect on her family and her mother committed suicide in 2001.

Body Found in a Wooded Area

File Number: 104200170

The murder of Tammy Pipe, 24, is considered one of three murders in a series called The Hemlock Valley Murders. Tammy, Tracy Olajide and Victoria Younker were all sexually assaulted, killed by strangulation and their bodies were left in a similar fashion in remote areas of Fraser Valley in 1995.

Tammy was last seen on Tuesday, August 29, 1995, at the Cobalt Hotel on Main Street in Vancouver.

Tammy's body was found in a remote, wooded area near Agassiz, British Columbia on September 2nd, 1995. She was left in the middle of a side road North of Lougheed Highway #7, leading to a hang-glider launch area of Mount Woodside and no attempt was made to conceal her body.

A fleck of red vehicle paint was found at the scene and is believed to be connected to the killer. The terrain was rough and would have been difficult for the average vehicle to manage.

Yellow flecks were also found at the scene and authorities were unable to identify their source.

Tammy dreamed of being a dancer and what she regarded as "interpretive dance routines" were seen by others as "stripping". She was known to be charitable in the area of the Patricia Hotel on Hastings Street and Victoria Drive and Franklin Street where she worked in the sex trade to support her cocaine habit.

When serial killer Robert Pickton was arrested in 2002, authorities initially believed he was also responsible for Tammy's death but no sign of her, Tracy, or Victoria were found on his pig farm. Police believe a separate, unconnected serial killer is still on the loose.

Authorities possess a DNA sample of the killer for future comparison.

If you have any information regarding the murder of Tammy Pipe, you are encouraged to contact the RCMP Missing Women Taskforce at 1-877-687-3377.

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Missing Since 1998

File Number: 104200172

December 22, 2020 - On December 30, 1998, Darren FORTIER (age 21) was last seen walking alone in a rain storm, south on Highway 19 from Port Hardy at approximately 8:00pm. FORTIER suffered a brain injury in 1995 due to a serious car accident. He was reported missing on December 31, 1998 and all attempts to locate FORTIER were met with negative results.

He disappeared without a wallet, money or identification. FORTIER has been described as a white male, 5'9" inches tall and weighing approximately 160Lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. When he disappeared he was wearing a black fleece jacket with a blue outer jacket, a baseball cap with the word "Avalanche", and brown shoes. Darren FORTIER has been declared as legally deceased. He was never located and his family remain hopeful of Darren being found.

When Darren Fortier was involved in the accident in 1995 he had a set of pins and plates surgically implanted to fix a broken leg; when Darren disappeared he had a full set of braces on his teeth. Hunters and hikers alike in the North end of Vancouver Island are encouraged to be aware that if any pins and plates or braces are located to Contact the RCMP in the area.

If you have any information regarding Mr Darren Fortier, please contact the your local Police agency or Crime Stoppers.

RCMP Island District General Investigation Section Police File 2010-198 & Port Hardy Detachment file 1998-2700.

Discovered In a Submerged Vehicle

104200176



Boy, 13, Helped Solve 27-Year-Old Case

Nude Body Was Discovered

File Number: 104200177

Aielah Saric-Auger was born on December 30, 1991 in Edmonton, Alberta. A member of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, she was the youngest of six children.

Aielah didn't have an easy life growing up. When she was young, she and her mother, Audrey, were driving when their car slid on black ice. The pair ended up in the ditch and Aielah is said to have temporarily lost consciousness.

Then, in 2000, the family learnt that she was being abused by a relative who had come to stay with them. Despite Audrey removing the children from the situation, they found themselves living in various motels until CPS caught up with them and separated the children, with Aielah in particular being sent to live with her paternal grandparents.

In 2004, Audrey made the decision to relocate the family to Prince George, British Columbia, where her older brother resided. While she went to find a place to live, the children went to live in Enoch, a Cree Nation reserve located approximately 35km west of Edmonton. Once in Prince George, the family lived in a rented trailer just off Highway 16, on the western edge of the city.

On the day that Aielah disappeared, Feb. 2, 2006, she left home with her brother and sister for a day at the mall.

She has been gone just over a week from her home, and her family has plastered "Missing" posters all over the downtown Prince George area, where she was last seen. But Aielah Saric-Auger is not coming home.

About a week after she went missing, on February 10, a motorist travelling east to Prince George on Highway 16 contacted police after seeing something in the ditch, near the Tabor Mountain ski resort. When officers arrived on location, they discovered the nude body of a deceased female.

According to the website firstnationsdrum.com, her "small body was found and identifiable, but so much of it was missing that the family had to have a closed casket funeral."

Through the necklace found around her neck, her mother was able to positively ID the body as Aielah. The public were notified of the identification on February 15, 2006.

The highway on which Aielah's body was found is known as the Highway of Tears. It's a 725km stretch of desolate road between Prince George and Prince Rupert and has been the site of many murders and disappearances, starting in the late 1960s and continuing to this day.

The majority of the cases involve Indigenous women and girls, and many remain unsolved.

Those with information regarding the murder of Aielah Saric-Auger are asked to contact the Prince George detachment of the RCMP at 250-561-3300. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via British Columbia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Six Men Vanished in Same Region of B.C.

File Number: 104200185

Between 2017 and 2020, five men have mysteriously disappeared or died in British Columbia in the area north-east of Vancouver, around D'arcy, Kamloops and Merritt. Despite extensive searches and investigations, only two bodies have turned up and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) remain baffled.

Marshal Iwaasa, 26 - last seen November 17, 2019

Marshal Iwaasa, 27, was last seen by his family in Lethbridge on November 17, 2019, and planned to go to a storage locker. He told his family he was returning to Calgary but hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Iwaasa's burnt out GMC pickup truck was found by hikers on a remote forest service road near D'Arcy B.C., on November 23, 2019. The location was close to the trailhead to the Brian Waddington Hut near Pemberton.

When he was last seen, Iwaasa told the family he was going to visit his storage locker and the storage locker key and logs show his code was used to enter the facility and then, about two hours later, leave the compound.

Lethbridge police said that from the onset of their investigation, Iwaasa's disappearance has been considered suspicious, but there is no "credible, corroborated or compelling information to suggest foul play or that the occurrence is criminal in nature." Police said their investigation had determined that before he went missing, Iwaasa had "hidden the fact that he had stopped attending post-secondary classes." "In examining Iwaasa's personal affairs in the months leading up to his disappearance - including interviews with close friends as well as his financial, medical and social media activity - there is evidence to suggest he was experiencing stress in his life and had become withdrawn," Lethbridge police said.

Ryan Provencher, 38, and Richard Scurr, 37 - last seen July 17, 2019, found dead one month later

Ryan Provencher(Left) and Richard Scurr (Right)

Ryan, 38, and Richard, 37 were last seen alive on July 17, 2019 in metro Vancouver. Provencher's white 2019 Jeep Cherokee was found on July 21, parked in a wooded area near Logan Lake. The lake is between Kamloops and Merritt. One month later, their bodies were found in a rural area north of Spences Bridge, 80 kilometres away.

The RCMP has said there was "criminal behaviour" associated with the case, but no further details or cause of death have been made public.

Police said they planned to travel to the southern Interior and preliminary information indicated the men reached their destination, 35 kilometres northeast of Lytton, along the Thompson River.

In 2005, a then 23-year-old Richard Allan Scurr was arrested and subsequently sentenced to seven months in jail and two years probation for trafficking in cocaine and related offences. At the time, RCMP alleged he was a key member of The Crew, a gang affiliated with the Nomads chapter of the Hells Angels.

Ben Tyner, 32 - last seen January 26, 2019

Tyner, a working cowboy, disappeared from the Merritt area, after riding into the hills to look for cattle. His abandoned horse was found fully saddled on a forest service road northwest of the city two days later. Police said Ben was last seen at 2 pm, but it's unknown when he rode into the backcountry or where he was heading.

Search and rescue teams scoured the area, including crews from Nicola Valley, Kamloops, Shuswap, Central Okanagan, Penticton, Princeton, Logan Lake, Chilliwack and Surrey. Police said nearly 40 search and rescue members were on site , along with dog services, snowmobiles and air support.

"We've had tremendous support from search-and-rescue teams across the province," Merritt RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore said. She said it was "very unusual" for a seasoned cowboy to be separated from his horse.

Even after this extensive search no trace of Ben has been found.

Ryan Shtuka, 20 - last seen February 17, 2018

The 20-year-old disappeared after leaving a house party at the Sun Peaks Ski Resort outside of Kamloops. RCMP and hundreds of volunteers searched extensively through the village and its surrounding trails, forests and mountains, but few clues have ever emerged as to what happened to him.

Luke Neville, 48 - last seen October 9, 2017

Luke Neville was last seen in Spences Bridge on October 9, 2017 and his burned out white 2003 Ford E250 van was found on the Sackum Forest service road 20km from his home the following day.

A cadaver dog search of the area in June 2018 turned up nothing. The Neville family erected a billboard on the Trans Canada Highway in Spences Bridge, asking anyone with information to come forward. Police say they consider the disappearance suspicious. Brother Mark Neville says the family has not been informed of any developments in the case. "No leads, no suspect, no news," he said. "It's all in the police's hands and up to them."

According to an RCMP spokesman, all the cases remain open in each of their police jurisdictions. "The investigators in these matters are familiar with other ongoing investigations," said Cpl. Christopher Manseau. "The only thing noted to be in common is that the missing persons or victims are male, and their geographic location."

Vanished Without a Trace

File Number: 104200186

Revelstoke, British Columbia - Brianne Wolgram was just 19 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Many people viewed her as shy or timid. Those who were lucky enough to get to know her would say she was outgoing, fun, and absolutely hilarious.

Over two decades years ago, Brianne seemingly vanished without a trace from her hometown of Revelstoke, B.C.

According to reports, Brianne was last seen on Sept. 5, 1998, around 11:30 p.m at the Revelstoke 7-11. She was in the company of three other young unidentified women. Brianne was supposed to meet up with a friend that night, but never arrived.

Five days later, Brianne's newly purchased black Acura Integra with gold-coloured rims was found in the ditch 16 kilometres up a logging road towards Alkolkolex Falls. Her wallet, drivers license and $200 in cash were still in the car.

Hundreds of people searched the woods, boats scanned the shores of rivers and planes and helicopters provided air support. There was even a $20,000 reward for information that would lead to Brianne, but no one stepped forward.

Brianne resided with her parents, Sheryl and Cliff. She has two older brothers, Troy and Todd, who were not living at home during the time of Brianne's disappearance.

On March 25, every year, her mother burns a candle to commemorate her birthday.

It's to light the way home," said Sheryl Wolgram, mom.

Sheryl said in many ways, it's like her daughter disappeared yesterday. She has good days and bad days.

"It's like a radio dial in my head. Sometimes I need to change the channel."

Sheryl finds going to funerals particularly challenging, because at funerals there's closure. She doesn't have that.

Anna Swayze, friend of Brianne's, started a GoFundMe to collect money to offer a reward for information that will lead to Brianne's whereabouts.

Not long before she disappeared, Brianne had purchased a black Acura Integra with gold-coloured rims that was her pride and joy. It was in pristine condition and she made sure to take good care of it. That last summer was filled with "Slurpees", rocky beaches, and the loud blaring of Beastie Boys from her new car.

Swayze wants the RCMP to release photos taken on scene of Brianne's car when it was found.

"It should get people talking about it again, regardless if it's for good or bad" Swayze said.

Anyone with information about the circumstances surrounding Wolgram's disappearance is asked to contact the RCMP or Missing Children Society of Canada at 1-800-661-6160.

Tyner Was Last Seen January 26, 2019

File Number: 104200187

Nicola Valley, British Columbia - It has been just over two years since Ben Tyner's disappearance in the Nicola Valley.

The Wyoming cowboy, who was working as manager of Nicola Ranch, was last seen Jan. 26, 2019, and reported missing on Jan. 28 when his rider-less horse was found in the backcountry of Swakum Mountain.

It's believed the man may have set off to the nearby foothills of the Nicola Valley, searching for cattle. While his absence was not initially thought to be suspicious, major crime detectives were brought in two months later.

Following his disappearance an intense search consisting of RCMP, more than a dozen search and rescue teams, air services, police dogs, drones and volunteers on snowmobiles, horseback and in vehicles and helicopters took place. Searches were eventually called off for poor weather and freezing temperatures, and yielded few clues.

Two years after Tyner rode off, his family is still wondering what happened.

Last month, on the anniversary of Tyner's disappearance, his parents issued a public plea for information. Their plea came in the form of a video, which was recorded and passed on with help from the FBI.

The Tyners live in the U.S. and could not come to B.C. due to COVID-19 border restrictions.

Sitting in what appeared to be their living room, Jennifer and Richard Tyner spoke to those who may know more.

"The last two years have been filled with horrendous heartache, continued hope and many, many prayers," Richard read.

His parents, sitting next to his brother, Jack, said their son's friends have stayed in touch, and there are constant reminders of him around their farm.

"Ben was not just a cowboy, he was a voracious reader. He loved to experience new places and cultures," his father said.

Tyner's parents described him as a team player and a gentle giant.

"It should get people talking about it again, regardless if it's for good or bad" Swayze said.

Anyone with any information is urged to call their local RCMP, the Southeast District Major Crime Unit Tip Line at 1-877-987-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Police found body on her kitchen floor

File Number: 104200229

Newton, B.C. - A B.C. Supreme Court judge granted an RCMP application to continue to hold onto clothing that was seized from a "person of interest" following the 1993 homicide of Dorothy Britton, 80, in Newton, in light of advances in DNA forensic technology.

Police were called to the Dorothy Greer Britton's house at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, 1993, after her neighbours noticed she hadn't brought in her morning newspaper.

Britton was stabbed five times in the chest in her tiny bungalow next to the Bonanza Motel, where she lived with her two pet dogs, birds and a few cats. A knife was found at the scene.

Police found her body on her kitchen floor just inside the door, lying in a small pool of blood. Her television was still on and - something unusual for the elderly lady - the floral curtains in her window were drawn. A garden table was carefully arranged in her backyard a few paces away, as if awaiting an afternoon tea party.

The RCMP is allowed to keep "bloodied clothing" seized from a person of interest in a homicide investigation, with a judge saying it is possible further examination could lead to a break in the case.

"The decedent had been stabbed numerous times and had bruising to her neck. There was a blood-covered knife blade from a paring knife located across the top of her body," Justice John S. Harvey wrote.

"The affidavit material brought before me sets out considerable advances made in DNA forensic technology since testing was performed in the 1990s and since last tested in 2008," Harvey noted.

Harvey noted that on the day after Britton died a person of interest was interviewed by police and acknowleged that he helped her pick up her cheques and then took a cab with her to Money Mart to cash them.

A forensic analysis of the beer cans found in Britton's room yielded fingerprints that were identified as belonging to a person only identified by the initials "S.O.," who was also a resident of the Bonanza Hotel.

Police interviewed S.O., who told them he had been with Britton the day before her body was found, going with her to cash her cheques and to buy the booze at a BC Liquor Store, the court heard.

"S.O. has an extensive criminal past including crimes of violence," Harvey wrote.

A search of S.O's hotel room resulted in the police seizing four jackets and one pair of shoes. A forensic analysis of the items found blood on one jacket and the shoes, according to Harvey.

"Analysis of the blood samples, collectively, indicated the quality and quantity were incapable of providing DNA typing patterns. Further DNA testing was performed on the samples in 1994, which indicated the presence of human DNA, but in insufficient quantity or quality for the purposes of analysis," the judge wrote.

In 2006, the case was reviewed by the Surrey Unsolved Homicide Unit. As part of that review, the clothing was sent for further testing, and Harvey noted that scientific advances meant that the blood found on one of the jackets was determined to have come from three separate people and "both male and female DNA was present."

While the possibility that the blood came from either S.O. or Britton was not eliminated, "nothing further emerged linking S.O. to the homicide," Harvey's decision said.

"The investigation stopped in 2009, but again was never concluded. Other historical homicides took on priority and the priority of this particular homicide diminished," he added.

In 2020, the case was reassigned to the Serious Crime Unit for review.

Soon after the review began, investigators found that the application to detain the items expired in June of 1993. They were then transferred to a "secure facility" and no further testing was carried out.

In order to further test the items, Harvey said the court would have to grant an order to keep them in the custody of the RCMP.

In support of the application, the RCMP submitted affidavits that outlined plans for future forensic examination of the items and described how advances in testing may enable them to get more conclusive results than were available in the past.

In granting the order to keep the clothing for one year, Harvey said "the retention of the items sought to be 'further detained' are clearly essential to the ongoing investigation and, in my view, the further detention is in the interests of justice."

However, the decision also noted that the ongoing detention and testing of the evidence after the expiry of the initial order could be an issue if the case ever goes to trial.

Any update on this case, please contact us at fileupdate@ucfiles.com

Found dead on July 16, 2009

File Number: 104200231

Burnaby, BC - The family of a man killed nearly 13 years ago in Burnaby is appealing for anyone with information to come forward, saying the unsolved murder continues to cause her "pain and agony" that "no mother should have to bear."

John Hanna, who was 25 at the time, was found dead on July 16, 2009, according to investigators. Police were called to the scene at Plum Avenue and Clinton Street at 3:48 a.m. after gunshots and a vehicle fire were reported.

Hanna was publicly identified as the victim seven days later, with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team describing his killing as a "targeted hit."

"IHIT remains committed to seeking justice for the Hanna family and we continue to monitor the investigation and action all leads," Sgt. Timothy Pierotti writes.

His mother said she is still waiting for closure, unable to sleep or work without wondering what happened to her son.

"I feel paralyzed. My life has been upside down since he passed. I need help. I need closure. My family needs closure. We deserve to get closure," a statement shared by IHIT says.

"Johnny would want me and our family to move on but not knowing what happened to him is what haunts me every day... From a mother of a murdered son, I need your help to solve this case. Big or small, all your tips can point us in the right direction."

Anyone who has information is urged to contact investigators by calling 1-877-551-IHIT (4448).

Any update on this case, please contact us at fileupdate@ucfiles.com

Found at Penticton Secondary track

File Number: 104200236

Penticton, British Columbia - It was just before 6 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, when Penticton RCMP were called to help BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) with an unresponsive person down at the sports field at Penticton Secondary.

While no arrests have been made to date, a fulsome investigation into this matter continues including a detailed forensic and technological investigation of evidence that has been gathered, said Penticton RCMP in a release.

"Penticton and area community support has been significant with continued additional avenues of investigation being examined and followed up on," said Const. James Grandy.

The 22-year-old's mom Tracey Savage is longing for justice.

She took to Facebook earlier in August to say how much she misses Taig.

"Taig, not a day or an hour goes by that I don't catch myself thinking you are here and in my life. Then reality hits. Remember Taig, Justice," she wrote.

Taig is described as kind, generous and loyal.

If you witnessed this incident, or have any other information, you're asked to call the Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300.

Any update on thIS case, please contact us at fileupdate@ucfiles.com

Murdered in Vancouver in 1988

File Number: 104200240

Vancouver, British Columbia - Gavin and Sowan were friends when they were killed just six weeks apart in 1988.

Gavin was last seen alive just before midnight on August 12, 1988, when she left a friend's apartment near Broadway and St. Catherine's Street, in East Vancouver. A sex-worker who struggled with addiction, Gavin told her friend she was going to work and would be back in an hour. She never returned, and her partially clothed body was discovered hours later in a lane near Knight Street and East 49th Avenue.

Sowan, also a sex worker, was just 25 years old when last seen, on September 29, 1988, inside an apartment near East 6th Avenue and St. George Street. She'd been struggling with the loss of Gavin, and went out sometime between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Her body was discovered the following day in some bushes near West 24th Avenue and Willow Street.

Vancouver police have added these cases to their cold case website, as they renew an appeal for tips into their 34-year-old murders which took place just weeks apart.

"No homicide case is ever closed until it's solved, and we know there's someone out there with information that can help solve these two murders," Sgt. Steve Addison said in a media release.

VPD's Cold Cases website was created in 2014, and it currently includes profiles of 15 unsolved murders, dating back to 1958. For more details about the murders of Lisa Gavin and Glenna Sowan, including photos, maps and news clippings, visit www.vpdcoldcases.ca

Any update on these cases, please contact us at fileupdate@ucfiles.com