British Columbia Highway of Tears

But the pattern in roadside body dumps and other evidence has prompted many investigators to speculate that the mobility, lack of supervision and access to potential victims that come with the job make it a good cover for someone inclined to kill.



The problem may not be restricted to just the United States. In British Columbia, several years of deaths and disappearances along Highway 16 have led activists to term the road the "Highway of Tears."

The missing and dead have all been young women between 15 and early 20's, with most victims coming from Indigenous (Native) backgrounds. Unlike the I-40 case, these crimes aren't linked to prostitution.

Instead, the young women were either hitch-hiking or simply walking along the road. The pattern began in 1988 and continues. Police fear they may have not only a serial killer on the loose, but one that's mobile and offering young women rides.

A young girl stands beside Highway 16 with her arm and thumb raised high. A car or truck pulls over, she hops in for a ride, never to be seen alive again. For more than a decade, young women have disappeared or have been found slain along Highway 16 in northern BC.

Posters bearing their pictures can still be found on hydro poles and laundromat post-it boards. "Missing," they shout in large letters under a photo of a smiling, unpretentious-looking young woman or teenager.

It's tragic. It's horrific. And it's happening along the quiet 720 kilometers between Prince George and Prince Rupert, a stretch now gruesomely dubbed the Highway of Tears.

Delphine Nikal disappeared in 1995


A disturbing pattern of disappearances was first noticed between 1988 and 1995. Young girls mostly aboriginal in origin and aged 15 to their early twenties vanished after being seen hitchhiking along the highway.

Some consider the murder of Monica Ignas, 15, to be the first. She disappeared just east of Terrace on December 13, 1974 and was later found lying dead and discarded in a gravel pit. In 1988, Alberta Williams, age 24, was also found murdered a month after disappearing. But it wasn't until 1994 that things really began speeding up at an alarming pace.

The Highway of Tears


The first of the latest series of incidents was Ramona Wilson, 15, who was hitchhiking to a friend's place on June 11, 1994. Her remains were found near the Smithers airport a year later.

Five months after that, Roxanne Thiara, also 15, went missing from Prince George only to be found dead - her body "dumped" near Burns Lake. The slaughter rose to three in a row when the remains of Alishia Germaine, again 15, were discovered December 9, 1994


The next six months are event-free until Delphine Nikal, 16, from Telkwa disappears somewhere between Smithers and her home. She has yet to be found.

Lana Derrick, 19, was a forestry student in Terrace who went missing while walking down a street in Terrace in October, 1995. She has never been heard from since. Thankfully nothing happened for almost seven years that police know about, or that has been reported. (Was the murderer in jail for a spell?)

Our next casualty was the first Caucasian woman, Nicole Hoar, who disappeared on June 21, 2002. Nicole was a young tree planter hitching her way from Prince George to her sister's home in Smithers. She was hoping to attend the Midsummer Music Festival, but she never arrived.

Lana Derrick disappeared in October of 1995


Her family and friends were instrumental in quickly getting the story out to every major news source. A massive poster campaign ensued, rewards were offered, and a fund established to help find the missing dark-haired 26 year-old from Red Deer. The RCMP used aircraft and helicopters, and there were 200 volunteers plus 60+ professional search and rescue members, all to no avail. Nicole Hoar remains on a list of women missing along the Highway of Tears.

On September 17, 2005, a number of ceremonies named "Take Back the Highway" were held in communities between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Activities included marches, minutes of silence, local speakers and prayers to promote awareness and in protest to the violence against these women.

Tamara and Tom Chipman


But, four days later Tamara Chipman, 22, went missing somewhere between Prince Rupert and Terrace. Tamara had taken judo for years and was considered able to take care of herself. What happened?

An account of how her father feels as he walks lonely stretches of the highway looking into culverts for his only child can be read on the Internet. Needless to say it is a heart-wrenching story.

The police have not ruled out the possibility of a serial-killer prowling our highway, although serial-killer profilers and special detectives sent to study the individual cases say there is no evidence of this.

In light of the recent 60+ murders of women by the accused Robert (Willy) Picton near Vancouver BC, one can only guess what other horrors await us yet to be discovered. Is it scarier to think there is a mass murderer on the loose, or multiple murderers?

Nicole Hoar disappeared in June 2002


Meanwhile, Crystal Lee Okimaw, 24, vanished from Prince George January 16 and Aielah Saric-Auger, 14, was discovered dead just east of Prince George on February 2, 2006. Guesses as to what sort of person the police might be looking at include a travelling salesman dressed in a suit who would seem like a trustworthy person to catch a ride with. Maybe a hunter who comes to our wildlife-rich area. Maybe a trucker who barrels in, then out of our towns. Or could it be someone who lives here? Someone who always seems to be at the right place to stop to pick up young women.

Amnesty International asks that you write to Stockwell Day, the new Minister of Public Safety at the House of Commons, Parliament Buildings , Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6, asking him to implement new protocols for action on missing person cases, particularly along our Highway 16. We need to urge him to help stop the violence against women.

Aielah Saric-Auger was slain in February of 2006


It's unfortunate that hitchhiking is sometimes a necessity for young women living in remote communities. It's time they stopped hitching alone.

I never usually pick up hitchhikers, but recently I gave a young native girl a lift from Granisle to Topley. Not because I wanted the company, but because I feared for what I would have to live with if one day I saw her pretty face on a poster that said, "Missing."

(February 28, 2006)

End

Sep 03, 2009 12:33 ET

Recent Coverage of Missing Persons Cases Renews Pain for Those Still Missing

Mother of BC missing child speaks out about renewed pain and purpose



BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 3, 2009) - A search effort near Prince George, BC for the remains of Nicole Hoar, a young woman who disappeared in June 2002 while hitchhiking in the area. Jaycee Lee Dugard reunited with her family after being abducted at the age of 11 in 1991 and held captive for 18 years. These cases and others have flooded the media headlines in recent weeks, shocking and horrifying the public. But for those families across Canada who continue to search for their missing children, the stories are particularly painful to bear. One searching mother spoke out today about her renewed sense of loss in reaction to these stories, and her renewed sense of purpose.

When she first heard the news of a police search for remains near Prince George, Judy Peterson immediately thought of her own daughter, Lindsey Nicholls. Lindsey disappeared from Comox, BC on August 2, 1993 at the young age of 14 years old. With the 16th anniversary of Lindsey's disappearance still fresh in Judy's mind, she continues to hold hope that her daughter is still out there. That hope drives Judy to take action in the search for her daughter and other missing children.

"Every day is hard, but birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions always seem to be the most difficult," said Judy, "I take comfort in working on things that make me feel like I'm doing something to help."

Judy has been the driving force behind "Lindsey's Law" - an attempt to revise the National DNA Data Bank to include cross referencing between DNA of missing persons and found human remains. The Public Safety Committee has recently submitted a recommendation that this move forward. Judy continues to lobby for "Lindsey's Law" hoping it will provide closure for searching families -her dedication has never wavered.

In recent months, Judy has also teamed up with several other local searching families to help organize the 2009 Candlelight Walk for Missing Children. The fundraising event, which is in support of the Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC), is set to take place at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby this September 26th- just 2 weeks after Lindsey's 31st birthday.

"Many of the things I do, like working on the legislation, focus on searching for Lindsey. But working on the Candlelight Walk feels good because I'm also helping an organization that has been so wonderful to me," explained Judy. "The experience of meeting these other families and working together to help organize the Walk has been very rewarding. We all share a connection and hope that the public will come forward to support the Walk with much-needed funds."

Despite the pain that resurfaces with every new media story, those connected to the search for missing children remain committed that the coverage and awareness brings more help than hurt.

"Every time a photo of a missing child or person is shown, its another chance that someone who knows something will see it and come forward to help," said Marilyne Aalhus, Director of Development with MCSC, "We also hope the recent stories will inspire people to help in other ways, such as supporting the Candlelight Walk this September 26th."

To learn more about MCSC and the Candlelight Walk for Missing Children, visit www.mcsc.ca. To schedule an interview with Judy Peterson or with a MCSC representative, please call 1-800-661-6160.

Police staying quiet on results of search

Written by Frank Peebles
Citizen staff

Tuesday, 01 September 2009

Police are saying nothing further now that they have concluded their probe of two Prince George properties in the search for clues in Nicole Hoar's disappearance.
Provincial and local Mounties spent the better part of four days on the five-and-a-half acre property on Pinewood Road in the Isle Pierre area west of the city. They also spent some time at a local dumpsite about a kilometre from the property.
Provincial spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau said the RCMP was not in a position to either confirm they found any clues during the operation, or dismiss the search.
"It typically takes some time for investigators to determine the significance of any items collected," Linteau said.
However Linteau did speak about the bag of bones one neighbour presented to Prince George RCMP that came from the dumpsite. Provincial media quoted Isle Pierre resident Wally Anderson who explained his concerns about Leland Switzer, the former owner of the property in question when Hoar disappeared in 2002, and those concerns led him to find the bones.
"The bones were turned over to police in 2008," said Linteau. "They were examined by an anthropologist who determined they were animal bones, and Mr. Anderson was informed of that."
Meanwhile RCMP are still looking for information about a person who came to their attention while their Prince George property probe was underway. More than 100 new tips were called in or personally delivered to investigators, including this one, said Linteau.
"Police have received information that an unknown male may have information that may assist in this investigation. We believe this man may have information about Nicole's whereabouts during the weekend of June 21 to 23, 2002. We do not have information at this time to suggest that he is a suspect in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar."
The man was described as looking like this in 2002: A Caucasian male, in his mid 50s, black shoulder length hair, very skinny face, sunken eyes, scruffy appearance, thin glasses, a smoker and had a pronounced jagged scar on the left side of his neck.
Anyone with information about this man or any other aspect of Nicole Hoar's disappearance is asked to call the Prince George RCMP detachment at 250-561-3300, the Operation E-pana investigators at North District RCMP headquarters (250-561-3100), or give the information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS / www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca.





Mounties end acreage search for missing woman's remains|
By CARY CASTAGNA, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 31st August 2009, 2:01am

RCMP yesterday wrapped up their search of a northern B.C. acreage for the remains of a Red Deer woman who vanished seven years ago.

But if Mounties found anything over the weekend relating to the baffling disappearance of Nicole Hoar, they weren't saying.

"Police are unable to release at this time whether any items of interest or human remains were located during the search," Cpl. Annie Linteau said in a press release.

"It typically takes some time for investigators to determine the significance of any items collected."

Ray Michalko, a Vancouver-based private investigator also working on Hoar's case, said RCMP likely came up empty-handed.

"My guess is they got skunked," Michalko, an ex-Mountie, told Sun Media last night.

He added that if the search was fruitless, then it's not only bad news for the Hoar family, but for all families of missing women along the notorious Highway of Tears.

"I've received calls from a couple family members that I talk to fairly regularly and everybody was sitting with bated breath hoping this was the first case that was going to get cracked and start something on a roll. It's depressing for everybody."

Tony Romeyn, a Prince George businessman who runs the www.highwayoftears.ca website, said he had high hopes for the search.

"I have made personal searches based on e-mail tips to me close to this area very early on when Nicole went missing, without any results.

"This has been, and is, an unreal emotional journey for Nicole's parents and other families of those who have gone missing. My thoughts and prayers are with them."

On Thursday, investigators began combing a five-acre rural property in the Isle Pierre district west of Prince George, about 30 km from the gas station where Hoar was last seen.

Hoar was 25 years old when she vanished June 21, 2002, while hitchhiking on Highway 16 from Prince George to Smithers to visit her sister. She had been working in B.C. as a tree planter.

Police used two search-and-rescue dogs from Alberta, trained to detect human remains, as well as ground-penetrating radar operated by a B.C. geophysicist to detect ground anomalies.

The search was expanded Saturday about one kilometre northwest to an unauthorized dump. Mounties and search-and-rescue volunteers used heavy machinery, as well as hand tools such as rakes and shovels to sift through the area. A yellow pickup truck at the dump was examined but not seized, Linteau said.

The acreage at the centre of the original search was owned by convicted killer Leland Vincent Switzer between 1994 and 2006.

Switzer, 45, shot his brother to death early on June 23, 2002 -- two days after Hoar was last seen. Switzer is serving a life sentence in a federal prison.

On Saturday, Mounties asked for the public's help in identifying an unknown man suspected to have information that may help crack the case.

RCMP have received "a number" of tips about the man and all will be investigated, Linteau added.

The stretch of B.C. highway where Hoar disappeared, now known as the Highway of Tears, has been a Bermuda Triangle for hitchhikers.

Nine women have been murdered or have disappeared since 1990 from communities that dot the largely remote corridor that stretches almost 750 km from Prince George to Prince Rupert. Hoar is the only non-aboriginal woman of the nine.

CARY.CASTAGNA@SUNMEDIA.CA





Investigators Here Following Up Tips on Nicole Hoar Case

By 250 News

Tuesday, September 01, 2009 03:59 AM



Prince George, B.C. - While the RCMP forensic team has left the Pinewood Road property near Isle Pierre that was the subject of four days of searching for evidence in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar, there are still nearly a dozen E-Pana investigators in Prince George following up on tips.

“We have received more than a hundred tips” says Corporal Annie Linteau. She says the “E-Pana” investigators who are still here are working with the two “E-Pana” officers who have been stationed here for more than a year.

Working out of the North District RCMP office, the two examine tips and all missing persons reports to see if they should become part of the investigation of disappearances and deaths of 18 women.

The four day search was expanded to include an unauthorized dump north west of the 5 acre residential site. At that dump, investigators examined a yellow pick up truck. “We examined the vehicle for evidence and have the VIN, but the ownership of that vehicle has not been established yet” says Linteau.

Investigators have not yet said if they have found any evidence or human remains on the 5 acre parcel. They have also not yet indicated if they have a name to put to the description of a man who may have more information on Nicole Hoar’s whereabouts after she was last spotted at the Mr. G’s on Gauthier Road on June 21st of 2002. That man is described as having been in his 50’s at the time of Nicole’s disappearance. He is said to have had a scruffy appearance, long dark hair, a thin face, sunken eyes and a jagged scar on the left side of his neck.





The Switzer murder story

By Bill Phillips - Prince George Free Press

Published: September 01, 2009 4:00 PM

So just who is Leland Switzer

He has become front-and-centre in the mystery surrounding the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar. Police have spent four days searching property that Switzer owned in 2002. They aren’t saying yet if they found anything.

Leland Switzer is in jail for murdering his brother Irvin in 2002 … two days after Nicole Hoar went missing.

Switzer maintains that he killed his brother in self-defence, that the shot was intended as a warning shot. Trial judge Glen Parrett didn’t buy it during the original trial, nor did the British Columbia Court of Appeal in 2007.

So what happened? According to the court documents, Leland and Irvin and were at each other’s throats for a long time. Irvin, the older brother, had bullied Leland all his life. Each had apparently threatened to kill the other at various times, including in the weeks just before the shooting. It was common ground at trial that both men were long-term problem alcohol and drug users.

On June 23, Leland Switzer left a party and went to his parents’ home where his brother was staying. He testified that when he arrived his brother called out to him “in a voice that led him to conclude that the brother was in an argumentative mood.” Leland went to the shed and retrieved a .308 rifle that we kept there in case of bears.

“He testified that his brother came into the shed in a confrontational way and that the appellant apprehended that he was going to attack him,” according to the court documents. “He feared a beating and he testified that he was also fearful of his brother harming him in any altercation because he believed that his brother had contracted the AIDS virus. He said that he snapped off a quick shot at his brother to deter him from aggression, but in fact the bullet struck the chest of the deceased near his heart and passed through a window behind him.”

Police didn’t arrest him until 2004.

One of the strangest aspects of the case was that about a month before Leland killed Irvin, Leland asked his mother not to hold him responsible for a promise she had made him make when he was 16 years old … not to kill his brother.

Switzer’s defence didn’t fly with the trial judge or the appeal court, for various reasons. He had talked to several people following the murder, giving differing reasons for shooting his brother. And, as an expert marksman, the suggestion of a warning shot didn’t fly either.

“I am satisfied in the end that animosity got the better of the accused and he shot his brother,” wrote Justice Parrett in his ruling. “While fear may have existed in their relationship, this was not a case of self-defence or one in which the shooting was an accident.”

Does any of this mean that Switzer was involved in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar? No. And, at this point, only the RCMP know whether anything was found on the Isle Pierre property.

Bill Phillips is the winner of the British Columbia/Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s 2009 Ma Murray award for editorial writing.


B.C. - Police Conclude Search of Pinewood Road Property

2009-08-30 15:17 PDT

Prince George, BC: Investigators of the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit have concluded their search of the Pinewood Road property. Police are unable to release at this time whether any items of interest or human remains were located during the search. It typically takes some time for investigators to determine the significance of any items collected.

Investigators are extremely pleased with the number of tips they have received from the public since their arrival in Prince George. They will continue to investigate all these tips to determine their relevance.

Police will continue to investigate the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar as well as the disappearance or homicide of the other 17 women whose circumstances have been the focus of E-Pana investigators. Investigators have conducted an extensive review of all investigations and feel that all are progressing very well. Investigators are hopeful that they will one day be able to give all victim families the closure that they are hoping for.

We continue to invite anyone who has any information on the disappearance of Nicole Hoar or the homicide/disappearance of all 18 women to please contact the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide tip line at 1-877-543-4822, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or your local police department.





Prince George, B.C.- The search of a 5 acre property on Pinewood Road in the District of Isle Pierre is over.

By 250 News

Sunday, August 30, 2009 03:59 PM



Although RCMP are not saying if they have found anything on the site, in a release they comment “It typically takes some time for investigators to determine the significance of any items collected.”



During the course of the search, two dogs trained to find human remains indicated there were spots on the property which needed further investigation, and those sites were examined. RCMP also examined sites which special equipment identified as having “anomalies”.

Investigators will continue following up the more than 100 tips they have received from the public.



They have yet to identify the male believed to have information on Nicole Hoar’s whereabouts after June 21st, in 2002. The 25 year old tree planter was last seen that night at a Mr. G’s on Gauthier Road as she hitch hiked to Smithers.



The man police wish to talk to is described as being in his 50’s in 2002. He is a Caucasian male, who had long dark hair, thin face, sunken eyes, scruffy appearance and a jagged scar on his neck.



The warrant to search the property expires tonight, and the current property owners will be allowed to return home this evening. Corporal Annie Linteau says there was no need to extend the warrant although such an extension would have been requested had investigators believed there was a need to do so.



In addition to searching the property which was once owned by Leland Vincent Switzer, police searched a nearby site which appears to be an unauthorized dumpsite. From that site they seized a yellow pick up truck. While ownership of the vehicle has not been disclosed, Switzer told police in a 2004 interview that he owned such a vehicle. He drove the yellow pick up to that August 31st, 2004 interview with investigators. Switzer is serving a life sentence for the second degree murder of his brother Irvin on June 23rd, 2002. He shot his brother on their parent’s property just two days after Nicole disappeared.



In a release issued this hour, RCMP say, they “will continue to investigate the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar as well as the disappearance or homicide of the other 17 women whose circumstances have been the focus of E-Pana investigators. Investigators have conducted an extensive review of all investigations and feel that all are progressing very well. Investigators are hopeful that they will one day be able to give all victim families the closure that they are hoping for.”

RCMP continue to invite anyone who has any information on the disappearance of Nicole Hoar or the homicide/disappearance of all 18 women to contact the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide tip line at 1-877-543-4822, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or your local police department


Police tightlipped as search ends for Highway of Tears victim Nicole Hoar

By David Karp, Vancouver SunAugust 30, 2009 4:19 PMBe the first to post a comment

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Police have wrapped up their search of two properties near Prince George, which they had been combing for evidence related to the 2002 disappearance of tree planter Nicole Hoar.

On Sunday afternoon, the RCMP's provincial unsolved homicide unit finished its search of 31645 Pinewood Road in Isle Pierre, a community west of Prince George.

Convicted murderer Leland Vincent Switzer owned the property at the time Hoar disappeared. Switzer is currently in jail.

Police have said the property's current owners are not of interest to police. They stayed in a local hotel during the search, but have been allowed to return home, Cpl. Annie Linteau said on Sunday.

The investigation, police said, was related to the June 2002 disappearance of Hoar, who was 25 at the time.

She was last seen on June 21 hitchhiking along Highway 16. That road has been dubbed the "Highway of Tears" because at least nine women disappeared along that stretch of highway between 1990 and 2006.

On Saturday evening, police also wrapped up their search of a second piece of land in Isle Pierre, which was used by residents as an unauthorized dumping ground.

The RCMP had brought in two search and rescue dogs from Alberta specially trained in the detection of human remains and were using ground-penetrating radar in their search.

But police remained tight-lipped about what their search turned up.

"A lot of what has been learned we're not going to be able to discuss," said Cpl. Annie Linteau. "We will not be discussing for the time being any items we may or may not have recovered on the property — to protect the integrity of the investigation."

Linteau said the publicity around the search has helped generate roughly 100 tips since police arrived in Prince George on Thursday.

"We're extremely pleased with some of the information we have received," she said. "We will be following up on those tips."

One of those tips caused police to ask for the public's assistance in locating someone they believe may have information about Hoar's whereabouts in June 2002.

He is described as a Caucasian male who smokes. He was in his mid 50s at that time, with black shoulder-length hair, a scruffy, skinny face, sunken eyes, thin glasses and a scar.

The RCMP would not say whether their investigation has turned up any information about the other women who went missing along the Highway of Tears.

"I think it's too early to say, until all the tips have been looked into further," Linteau said.

dkarp@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun





RCMP UPDATE!
Prince George - Investigators Seek Public's Assistance in Nicole Hoar Investigation and Continue Property Search
2009-08-29 15:37 PDT

Investigators from the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit have conducted a significant number of interviews in the past three days. As a result of the interviews, police have received information that an unknown male may have information that may assist in this investigation. The description of this individual in 2002 was as follows: Caucasian male, described to be in his mid 50's, black shoulder length hair, very skinny face, sunken eyes, scruffy appearance, thin glasses, was a smoker and had a pronounced jagged scar on the left side of his neck. We believe this man may have information about Nicole's whereabouts during the weekend of June 21-23, 2002. We do not have information at this time to suggest that he is a suspect in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar. Police are asking this man or anyone who may have information about this man's identity to contact the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit's tip line at 1-877-543-4822 or the Prince George RCMP detachment at (250) 561-3300.

Police are continuing their search of the Pinewood Road property as well as an unauthorized dumping ground for evidence in the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar. Members of the Prince George Search and Rescue team have identified a number of areas of interest this morning that investigators have been probing further this afternoon. Police are also using two Search and Rescue dogs from Alberta trained in the detection and recovery of human remains. Police are continuing to rely on a ground penetrating radar being operated by a British Columbia geo-physicist to detect anomalies in the ground.

Anyone who may have any information about Nicole's disappearance or who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the Isle Pierre area during the weekend of June 21-23, 2002 or asked to contact the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit tip line at 1-877-543-4822, Prince George RCMP at (250) 561-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Media inquiries can be directed to Cpl. Annie Linteau, "E" Division Strategic Communications Section, (604)910-6892. She is currently in Prince George.


Released by

Cpl. Annie Linteau
Communication Officer
"E" Div. Strategic Communications
5255 Heather Street, Vancouver B.C. V5Z 1K6
Office: (604)264-2929
Fax: (604)264-3200
webmaster@rcmp-grc.gc.ca



Families yearn for closure as the police search continues

Investigation focuses on Nicole Hoar but 17 others vanished

By Laura Stone, The Province August 30, 2009



Along the Highway of Tears, the possibility of one family's closure bleeds into the minds of 17 others.

Nicole Hoar, a 25-year-old tree-planter from Alberta, went missing from Highway 16 near Prince George over seven years ago. On Friday, police said they were looking for her remains on a two-hectare property in Isle Pierre, about 30 km northwest of the city.

"It's been so frustrating, not knowing what has happened to these girls," said Matilda Wilson, whose 15-year-old daughter Ramona went missing from the Highway of Tears -- a 700-kilometre stretch from Prince George to Prince Rupert -- on June 11, 1994.

Ramona's remains were found April 1995 near the Smithers Airport.

"The closure, that's one thing -- I won't say it's good, but it's very important for families. Although it hurts," she said. "It's your baby. It's your daughter."

Nicole is one of five women still classified by the RCMP as missing. None of the five missing cases or 13 known murders have been solved.

The Highway of Tears was given the nickname because of the number of women who have gone missing from the area since 1969. Some groups put the total much higher.

Nicole, a popular student and artist, was working in B.C. as a tree planter the summer of her disappearance. She was headed to Smithers to surprise her sister and attend a music festival there, when she disappeared on June 21, 2002. Like many other missing women, she was hitcRating 2 iking.

Her parents, Jack and Barb Hoar, released a statement through the RCMP on Friday saying they are aware of the property search on Pinewood Road.

Police have said a former property owner is a "person of interest" in the case, although they have not specified whom. One former owner, Leland Switzer, is serving a 25-year sentence for the murder of his brother, which occurred two days after Nicole went missing.

"We are supportive of the police investigation and hoping it may further their investigation into the case of our missing daughter," read the statement.

"Our thoughts continue to be with Nicole. Nicole is just one of many missing persons in that area and our thoughts continue to be with their families as well."

In 2004, Jack Hoar told The Province that police were compiling a database to cross-link cases and look at the possibility of a serial killer.

Police have never said publicly how many people they've suspected in the missing and murdered cases along the highway.

"You have to keep working. You try to accept Nicole isn't coming home, but you never give up hope," said Jack Hoar in 2004.

But hope, some say, now lies only in accountability.

"Maybe if someone finally got charged, it would get the momentum going and a few more of these cases would get solved," said private investigator Ray Michalko, who's worked on the Highway of Tears investigation independently since 2006.

"I've talked to quite a few of the families and it's really rough on them," he said. "Everybody wants their loved one's case solved, but I think all of them would be happy to have any case solved, just because it's about time."

Nicole's case also presents an anomaly along the highway -- she is the only non-aboriginal to go missing.

A report based on the 2006 Highway of Tears symposium, organized by the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and attended by some 500 people, found that Nicole's disappearance made the issue of missing women more widely known.

"Of most importance, the media and the general public became aware that Nicole Hoar's disappearance was not an isolated incident," read the report.

The B.C. Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs also released a statement expressing condolences to the Hoar family.

"This search of this rural property reminds us all of their ongoing loss, pain and hope for closure," said Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit Task Group. The group also asked for more resources, a co-ordinated search and an inquiry into missing and murdered women, which is echoed by North Coast MLA Gary Coons.

But some family members ask that only one mystery be solved this time around.

"I just hope and pray that there's only the one set of human remains there," said Gladys Radek, whose niece Tamara Chipman went missing from Prince George in 2005.

"I don't want it to be another Robert Pickton. It's too many."

And others mourn with the Hoar family from afar.

Mary Beaubian's sister, Delphine Nikal, has been missing from Smithers since 1990.

"I can feel their pain right now," she said. "It just opens up old wounds."

lstone@theprovince.com

© Copyright (c) The Province

RCMP seek man who may have information on Nicole Hoar's disappearance

RCMP are seeking the public's help to identify a man who may have information on the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar.

A 2002 description of the white male had him in his mid-50s, a smoker, with black shoulder-length hair, a skinny face with sunken eyes behind thin glasses, a scruffy appearance and a "pronounced jagged scar on the left side of the neck," RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau said in a news release.

"We do not have information at this time to suggest that he is a suspect in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar," Linteau said.

Meanwhile, police have expanded their search for evidence in the disappearance to a second site, thanks to tips from the public.

Investigators have fielded more than 100 tips from the public, some of which prompted investigators to look at an unauthorized dumping ground, Linteau said.

Police don't expect to find human remains at the second location, she added, but will be seizing an abandoned vehicle at the site which will be subject to a detailed forensic examination. Officers will also be on the lookout for any discarded items that may be of interest to the investigation among the refuse.

Hoar, a 25-year-old tree planter from Red Deer, Alta., went missing in 2002 as she was attempting to hitchhike from Prince George to Smithers on Highway 16, dubbed the "Highway of Tears" for the number of women who have vanished along its length over the past several decades.

Investigators from the RCMP's E Division unsolved homicide unit began searching a property on Pinewood Road in the rural area northwest of Prince George known as Isle Pierre on Thursday.

As of Saturday, investigators had not said they had found evidence in relation to the case, but said they would remain on the scene all day.

Linteau said the Prince George Search and Rescue unit would join police to help in a grid search of the densely forested property.

A former owner of the property is a “person of interest” in the case, Linteau said, but she refused to identify him.

Property records show Leland Vincent Switzer, who is in prison after being convicted of murdering his brother, owned the property at the time of Hoar’s disappearance.

Linteau encouraged anyone else whose memory might have been sparked by the latest developments and have information about Hoar's disappearance, which occurred the weekend of June 21-23, 2002, to call the E Division unsolved homicide tip line at 1-877-543-4822 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.



Only surprise for Isle Pierre residents is that it's taken this long
By Sam Cooper, The Province August 29, 2009


An RCMP forensic team digs for evidence on a five-acre rural lot in Isle Pierre, northwest of Prince George, on Friday. Police are looking for information that will help them in the investigation of Nicole Hoar's disappearance.


Missing woman's parents hope for answers

Former owner of property searched by RCMP is 'person of interest' in the case of Nicole Hoar

Lori Culbert, with research by Pacific Newspaper Group librarian Sandra Boutillier, Vancouver Sun: Saturday, August 29, 2009

For the last seven years, ever since Nicole Hoar disappeared along B.C.'s "Highway of Tears," her parents have agonized about the young tree planter's whereabouts.

Now it appears the RCMP may be poised to offer Jack and Barb Hoar some answers, although they are surely not the ones the family had hoped for.

Members of the RCMP's unsolved homicide unit have been searching a Prince George property since Thursday to "further their investigation into the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar."

Police had found no evidence as of late Friday afternoon, but would continue searching for several days, Cpl. Annie Linteau said.

A former owner of the property is a "person of interest" in the case, Linteau said, but she refused to identify him.

Property records show Leland Vincent Switzer, who is in prison after being convicted of murdering his brother, owned the property at the time of Hoar's disappearance.

On Friday, Hoar's parents issued a statement through the RCMP about the search.

"We are supportive of the police investigation and hoping it may further their investigation into the case of our missing daughter," the Hoars said.

"Our thoughts continue to be with Nicole. Nicole is just one of many missing persons in that area and our thoughts continue to be with their families as well. This is a difficult time for us."

Hoar is one of nine young women who vanished on the remote 750-km stretch of Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Prince George from 1990 to 2006.

The RCMP have added nine other unsolved cases of missing or murdered women along major highways, mainly in northern B.C., to their investigation.

It has been dubbed the Highway of Tears case, and there has been speculation that a serial killer was preying on young hitchhiking women, many of them native.

Linteau said there was no indication yet the Prince George property being searched will reveal evidence of any of the other 17 victims.

"It is possible that we will find human remains, yes, but we have no information to suggest that the remains of more than one woman could be found here," she said.

Hoar, 25, of Red Deer, Alta., was working as a tree planter. She was last seen June 21, 2002 hitchhiking on Highway 16 to visit her sister in Smithers.

An older-model orange car may have picked her up west of Prince George at a gas station, which is not far from the five-acre Pinewood Road property being searched.

Switzer -- a welder and mechanic who worked for his father's Prince George-based drilling company in the mid-1990s, according to court documents -- owned the land from 1994 to 2005.

On June 23, 2002, two days after Hoar's disappearance, he shot and killed his older brother, Irvin Switzer, at his parents' property, nearby his own home.

Switzer was not immediately charged with his brother's murder.

He was sent to jail on an unrelated matter, involving obstruction of a peace officer and assault with a weapon, and was paroled in November 2002.

A B.C. Board of Parole decision, released Friday to The Vancouver Sun, said Switzer has a criminal record dating back to 1983 that includes prohibited weapons, assault, obstruction and driving offences.

The records say Switzer has a history of running from or fighting authority figures, and struggles with alcohol, marijuana and cocaine.

Prince George RCMP were opposed to Switzer's release on parole, claiming he was a "definite risk to community safety and is prone to violence and to violent outbursts," according to the parole documents.

While Switzer had previously been ordered not to go near his spouse and her children, the parole documents said she was supportive of his 2002 release.

Switzer, who had some good work reports in jail and had completed some programs, was scheduled to attend a treatment centre upon his release.

"Mr. Switzer presents with a past of violence and anger-related behaviours. He has stated ... that, 'I do need management and that I would be a fool to admit otherwise,'" the parole documents say.

"Mr. Switzer is in the early stages of understanding the root of his behaviour. He states that ... his triggers are 'pressure and the physical need for the alcohol.'"

His brother's death and the disappearance of Hoar occurred before the writing of the parole document. Police did not have evidence to charge him with his brother's murder until October 2004.

The B.C. Supreme Court judge's reasons for finding him guilty, as well as the B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that rejected his appeal, suggested Switzer was bullied and beaten by his older brother most of his life.

"Each had apparently threatened to kill the other at various times including in the weeks just before the shooting," the 2007 B.C. Appeal Court ruling said.

"My impression is that both Mr. Switzer and his brother were likely psychotic in at least the months preceding the shooting," the 2005 B.C. Supreme Court ruling said.

A month before the shooting, the court documents say, Switzer asked his mother "not to hold him to a promise he had made to her when he was about 16 years of age that he would not kill his brother Irvin."

On the night of the murder, Switzer's unemployed older brother was home alone at their parents' property when he was shot in the chest with a rifle. Switzer argued he was acting in self-defence, but the courts rejected his story.

Medical reports submitted to Switzer's murder trial suggested he had a long history of substance abuse and suffered delusional episodes. "The appellant told others that he thought that a chip had been implanted in his arm by the FBI to keep him under surveillance," the Appeal Court documents say.

For about three months in 2004, Switzer was certified under the Mental Health Act.

The parole board documents said he had "a number of serious medical issues that need to be addressed."

While Linteau would not confirm the imprisoned Switzer is a suspect in Hoar's murder, she said police had interviewed a previous owner of the property and were confident he posed no immediate risk to the public.

Linteau said police began searching the property this week as part of the investigation into Hoar's disappearance, and not because someone had stumbled across evidence there.

The current owners of the property, which has changed hands twice since Switzer owned it, are not of interest to police. They have been put in a local hotel during the search, Linteau said.

lculbert@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun





Photograph by: David Milne, for The Province

“The police are digging at Chug’s old place because of what I told them,” says Cindy Mortimer, staring with unblinking blue eyes. “I said, ‘You better look down the well. He poured diesel fuel down there and lit it on fire.’”

Mortimer, 46, is talking about a well on the Pinewood Road property previously owned by Leland Switzer, known to most in the tiny sawmill town of Isle Pierre simply as “Chug.”

Mortimer was sitting with friends on Friday night in the Bed Nesti Lake Resort off Highway 16, where Switzer used to drink and play pool. That was before he went to jail for shooting his brother Irwin dead in 2002, just two days after hitchhiker Nicole Hoar went missing from a Mister G gas station on the outskirts of Prince George.

Hoar is one of 18 women to have vanished on the route from Prince George to Prince Rupert, a bleak ribbon of pavement bordered by shrivelled black, red and grey pine trees, standing like matchsticks.

Mortimer went to Beaverly Elementary school with Switzer, was his neighbour for 30 years, and knows the episodes surrounding him better than anyone, Isle Pierre locals told The Province.

The area residents aren’t surprised the RCMP is digging up Switzer’s former property on Pinewood Road.

They’re only surprised it’s taken this long to happen. Some say they sense a number of families in the bundle of unsolved cases called “The Highway of Tears” are about to get closure. “And I’ll be able to sleep better at night,” Mortimer said.

Mortimer and another Switzer neighbour, 68-year-old Wally Anderson, claimed they’ve been giving tips to Prince George RCMP Sgt. Judy Thomas since Switzer went to jail.

Anderson says he smelled the diesel in Switzer’s well years ago.

On Saturday, Anderson went back to the place where he believes he discovered a woman’s remains in November 2008.

He alleged Switzer had bragged to Mortimer about killing his brother on the day it was done, and at the same time, suggested that Mortimer look in a side-road junk heap near Isle Pierre, under an appliance.

Anderson stood on the spot, where locals throw trash and butcher moose, and smoked a cigarette, pointing to the spot where he walked through a light snow and turned over a fridge, finding a bag of bones. He says when he took the bones to police, they didn’t take him seriously.

“I never drive by a deep freezer without checking,” he said.

Dave Klein, the former owner of the Bed Nesti, which features swinging doors, a black bear pelt mounted on a wall opposite the bar, and a clientele of cowboys, bikers and fiddle-playing locals, remembered Switzer as a man who put everyone on edge.

“Chug was always proud of what he done,” Klein said. “He bragged about killing his brother.”

Switzer was also a “dead-eye” pool shot, capable of predicting how he was going to clear the table, shot by shot, and winning bets playing one-handed.

He wasn’t smart bookwise, dropping out before Grade 8 and getting “strung out on meth,” according to Mortimer, who said she first saw Switzer’s bad side when he was seven and beat a smaller boy at school.

“He was always unruly and he just got worse with age — he was nice to me, but I knew the evil side of that boy.”

Cynthia and James Andal, who live on the property that backs onto the former Switzer property, say Switzer terrorized and threatened everyone in Isle Pierre, even scaring off a young couple on the next-door lot with a shotgun.

“Chug was a nasty piece of work,” Cynthia said. “He wasn’t physically imposing; he just had a weird look. He was crazy.”

James Andal says eight years ago, Switzer walked up to the family’s lane-way and started a conversation that almost ended in a fight. “He said, ‘Why did you phone the police on me?’ I had to just walk away.”

“We worried about our children,” Cynthia added. “It’s disturbing to think you could have been there when something was happening.”

The Andals say stories about Switzer were common. Mortimer said he was married to a tough, pretty woman named Karen, and children were removed from their home by authorities. None of the locals know where the ex-wife is now.

On Friday night, Mortimer told The Province she advised the RCMP to search a second site up Pinewood Road, where junk, including vehicles, is dumped, and where Switzer would drive late at night, she claimed. She also said police should be looking for a second man, named Freddy, about 60, who was with Switzer the day Hoar disappeared.

On Saturday morning, police searched the four-metre dry well mentioned by Mortimer, and around noon they seized a crumpled yellow pickup truck for forensic examination, located up a steep 500-metre rock road at a dump on Crown land matching the description given by Mortimer. At the site, digging in civilian clothing, was RCMP Sgt. Judy Thomas.

Late in the day, RCMP announced they are looking for a second man, described as around 60 years of age with a jagged scar on the left side of his neck, who may have information in connection with Hoar.

The apparent search for Hoar’s remains at Switzer’s former residence expanded Saturday, as a 15-member search-and-rescue team and a geoscientist using ground-penetrating radar identified additional areas for excavation.

At 2:30 p.m. a team of dogs trained in locating human remains arrived on site from Alberta.

Of the 18 missing women in the case, all First Nations women except for Hoar, 13 are confirmed homicides, with five considered missing.

A man who works at the Isle Pierre sawmill said Switzer had done some welding there, and liked to “spout off stories.”

“I heard a lot of crazy s---,” the man, who did not want to be named, said. “After he went to jail, women stopped disappearing.”

E-mail reporter Sam Cooper at scooper@theprovince.com

© Copyright (c) The Province



RCMP searching rural Prince George, BC property for remains of Nicole Hoar



Fri, 2009-08-28 23:46.

By: Dirk Meissner, THE CANADIAN PRESS

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - RCMP are searching the former property of a convicted murderer for the remains of a young Alberta woman who disappeared seven years ago.

Cold-case investigators and forensic experts descended on a rural Prince George acreage armed with a search warrant to look for the remains of Nicole Hoar, who disappeared June 21, 2002, while hitchhiking along Highway 16, west of this northern B.C. city.

"We are confirming that we are searching for evidence in relation to the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar," Cpl. Annie Linteau said Friday in an interview.

"Obviously we are searching for her remains."

Hoar is one of at least nine young women who have disappeared while hitchhiking along Highway 16 linking Prince George and Prince Rupert.

The stretch of road has been dubbed the Highway of Tears and some communities along the road have erected signs warning people of the dangers of hitchhiking.

Hoar was a 25-year-old tree-planter from Red Deer, Alta., who vanished while hitching a lift to Smithers, B.C., to visit her sister.

She was last seen standing in front of a gas station west of Prince George, about a 25-minutes drive from the Pinewood Rd. property now marked by police tape.

The two-hectare property in Isle Pierre was once owned by Leland Vincent Switzer, now serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. He shot and killed his brother early on June 23, 2002, two days after Hoar was last seen.

Switzer was convicted in December 2005 of driving to his family's home and putting a rifle bullet through his brother Irvin's chest.

At his trial, Switzer argued he was traumatized by a lifetime of bullying and beatings by his older brother, and grabbed a rifle from a workshop at the family home because he was afraid.

But the judge trying the case without a jury didn't accept Switzer's claim, or that he intended to fire only a warning shot in self-defence as his brother approached him.

A search of the land titles registry shows Leland Vincent Switzer owned the Pinewood road property between 1994 and 2006. It has changed hands twice since then.

Linteau would not confirm Switzer is the man they're interested in.

"I can tell you that a previous owner is a person of interest to us and that this person has been spoken to in the past by police," she said. "We are confident that this person is not a threat to any member of the general public at this time."

However, defence lawyer Keith Jones, who represented Switzer at his murder trial, said he was aware of the search of his client's former property.

The lawyer said in an email to The Canadian Press that Switzer was interviewed by an RCMP major crimes investigator in 2004 about Hoar's disappearance.

Jones said he has not spoken with Switzer since his murder conviction except for a request to assist on his appeal.

Hoar's parents, Jack and Barb Hoar, released a statement through the RCMP, along with a request for privacy.

"Our family is aware of the police search currently going on west of Prince George," the statement says.

"We are supportive of the police investigation and hoping it may further their investigation into the case of our missing daughter. "

"Our thoughts continue to be with Nicole. Nicole is just one of many missing persons in that area and our thoughts continue to be with their families as well."

Many have linked Hoar's case to a string of killings and disappearances of women - most of them aboriginal - along Highway 16.

In October, 2007, RCMP announced they were conducting an extensive review into 13 deaths and five disappearances connected to the highway that runs about 800 kilometres between Prince George and Prince Rupert on the north coast.

The cases involve women from the B.C. Interior and Hoar, whose family is from Red Deer, Alta., and date back to 1969.

RCMP said at the time they didn't know if one person or more people were responsible for the deaths.

But on Friday, police played down speculation that this search is connected with the Highway of Tears murders.

"I need to point out that we are searching the property for remains of only one person," Linteau said.

"At least we have no information that we are searching for more than one person."

Mounties have pitched three black tents on the Prince George acreage, which is lined with yellow police tape. Friday evening, officers toting shovels could be seen placing dirt onto a large blue tarp.

The RCMP renewed their appeal for public assistance and want to hear from anyone who may have heard or seen anything suspicious in the Isle Pierre area the weekend of June 21-23, 2002.

Linteau said RCMP expect this search to last several days.

"We are searching everything but the main residence, which consists of a mobile home," she said.

"There's small outbuildings such as sheds and tents, a motor home that will be subject of this search as well."



RCMP UPDATE!
Prince George - Search at Rural Property Continues



Investigators from the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit are continuing their search of a property located at 31645 Pinewood Road in the District of Isle Pierre, west of Prince George.

Investigators are searching for evidence on the property that will help further their investigation into the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar. Nicole Hoar, who was from Red Deer, Alberta, was last seen on June 21, 2002, while hitchhiking on Highway 16, just west of Prince George, in front of Mr. G's (gas station). She was going to Smithers to visit her sister and was employed as a tree planter at the time of her disappearance.

She was last seen wearing army colored capri pants, sandals, glasses, a tank top, a red shirt with a yellow collar with the word "Ravens" on it, and she carried two bags. The first one was a dark green bag with an orange patch on it, while the other was a large purple and black backpack.

A limited amount of information is available at this time. Contrary to speculation, the search is still in the preliminary stages and no evidence or remains have been located at this point.

Anyone who has seen or heard anything suspicious in the Isle Pierre area during the weekend of June 21-23, 2002, or who may have information in relation to the disappearance of Nicole Hoar are asked to contact the "E" Division Unsolved Homicide Unit at 1-877-543-4822 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Please continue to monitor this website for update. Media inquiries can be directed to Cpl. Annie Linteau, (604)910-6892. She is currently in Prince George.



Former property owner 'person of interest'

Written by Citizen staff

Friday, 28 August 2009

A former owner of the property being searched for clues in a "historical" homicide is a person of interest in the case, RCMP say.
A five-acre property on Pinewood Road near Isle Pierre, 50 kilometres west of Prince George, is being combed for key evidence in an unsolved homicide case believed to be linked to the disappearance of Nicole Hoar. She was a 25-year-old treeplanter from Red Deer, Alta., who was last seen hitchhiking to Smithers on June 21, 2002.
Ms. Hoar's parents are reportedly en route to Prince George.
The property was once owned by Leland V. Switzer, who is serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of his brother, Irvine, at the family home on Melonie Road near West Lake.
Leland Switzer shot his brother in the chest, shortly after midnight June 23, 2002, less than 36 hours after Ms. Hoar was last seen.
“I can say a previous owner is a person of interest in this investigation,” RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau told the Vancouver Province, but she would not comment on Switzer as a suspect.

RCMP confirm search near Prince George related to Nicole Hoar case

Graeme Wood and Mary Frances Hill, Vancouver Sun: Friday, August 28, 2009


The RCMP are occupying five acres of a property near Prince George to investigate what they are calling a "historical homicide."

The RCMP confirmed Friday it is searching for evidence related to the disappearance of Nicole Hoar on a rural Prince George property once owned by a convicted murderer.

The Red Deer, Alta, resident was last seen hitchhiking near Prince George on Highway 16, also known as the "Highway of Tears," on June 21, 2002. She was 25 at the time and working as a tree planter.

She is one of 18 known women to disappear on the "Highway of Tears" since 1969, which has led to a large RCMP investigation.

Nicole Hoar's parents, Jack and Barb Hoar, released a brief statement Friday through the RCMP.

"Our family is aware of the police search currently going on west of Prince George. We are supportive of the police investigation and hoping it may further their investigation into the case of our missing daughter," the Hoars said. "Our thoughts continue to be with Nicole. Nicole is just one of many missing persons in that area and our thoughts continue to be with their families as well."

According to a Prince George media outlet Jack Hoar was contacted by RCMP earlier this week regarding his daughter's case. He said the RCMP told him it may have located the remains of his daughter, but an RCMP statement on Friday stated "no evidence or remains have been located at this point."

"We will just sit tight and wait and see," Hoar told opinion250.com, "although it would be good to have closure."

Investigators from the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit have been searching a rural area surrounding 31645 Pinewood Road in the District of Isle Pierre for several days, said RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau.

The property surrounds a mobile home, which will not be searched, said Linteau.

"We'll be searching everything in its entirety, except the home," she said.

"We have no information that would suggest the owner of the property is involved in this investigation."

However, Linteau did say that a previous owner of the property is a "person of interest" in the case and that the person is known to police.

The property in question was once owned by convicted murderer Leland Vincent Switzer.

In 2005 Switzer was found guilty for the second-degree murder of his brother Irvin on June 23, 2002 — two days after Hoar went missing — after a lifelong feud between the two.

Switzer claimed self defence in the case, which including his belief that Irvin had AIDS and would pass the disease on to Switzer during an altercation.

At age 16, according to a court document, his mother made him promise her that he wouldn't kill Irvin. A month before he did, he asked his mother if he could take back his promise.

"I am satisfied in the end that animosity got the better of the accused and he shot his brother," stated the judge in his reasons for judgment, who added he believed Switzer to be psychotic during the time leading up to the murder.

Switzer was then sentenced to life in prison where he remains.

Linteau did not release any names or other details regarding the investigation but said the RCMP was "confident [the person of interest] is not a threat to the public" and that "we know where this person is."

Switzer has a long criminal record beyond the murder conviction. In the past decade he has been found guilty of mischief under $5,000, numerous assaults, failing to appear in court, willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and a number of driving offences.

Initially, the "Highway of Tears" investigation focused on the disappearance of nine women on Highway 16, a desolate two-lane highway running from Prince Rupert to Prince George and on to Edmonton.

Police later expanded the geographical scope to include nine other unsolved cases along other major highways in B.C., including those leading to Hudson's Hope, Kamloops, Merritt, 100 Mile House, and extending as far as Hinton, Alta.

Amnesty International has previously reported the number of missing women from these highways is 32.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Police digging for evidence on lot near Prince George

By Sam Cooper, The Province August 28, 2009 5:53

Nicole Hoar was last seen June 21, 2002, while hitchhiking on the so-called Highway of Tears. Police are searching a property outside Prince George for her remains.

Photograph by: Handout, RCMP

PRINCE GEORGE — Police may be close to breaking the Highway of Tears case.

An RCMP forensic team is now digging for evidence on a five-acre rural lot in the small lumber town of Isle Pierre, northwest of Prince George.

Police spokesperson Cpl. Annie Linteau would not say whether police are looking for the remains of 25-year-old tree planter Nicole Hoar.

Neither would Linteau confirm that the suspect in Hoar’s disappearance, a previous owner of the property, may be a suspect in 17 other Highway of Tears cold cases.

All 18 cases are being actively investigated in a joint RCMP project.

Police won’t confirm nor deny the possiblity that one person could be connected to all 18 cases.

A statement from Hoar’s family, circulated by the RCMP, said Nicole and the 17 other cases could be related.

Linteau would not confirm previous property owner Leland Switzer is suspected in the Hoar cases, only saying a previous owner is the person of interest.

Switzer is serving a life sentence for fatally shooting his brother on the family acreage just two days after Hoar disappeared in June 2002.

The Highway of Tears disappearances concern women missing from the years 1969 to 2006.

Fifteen of the women have been confirmed as homicides and three, including Hoar, are still missing.

The scene of the forensic’s dig is a quiet lot surrounded by tall pines. Officers are digging beneath three black tents in 30-degree heat.

E-mail reporter Sam Cooper at scooper@theprovince.com

Police search B.C. property for human remains
Katie Mercer, Vancouver Province: Friday, August 28, 2009 5:53 PM

VANCOUVER — Homicide investigators returned to a rural property in central B.C. Friday, where they are searching for the possible remains of a young Alberta woman who went missing along B.C.'s Highway of Tears in 2002.

The RCMP have occupied a property near Prince George, B.C., to investigate what they are calling a "historical homicide."

On Friday morning, RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau said they were searching the five-acre area, but still would not confirm they were searching for the body of Red Deer, Alta., native Nicole Hoar, a 25-year-old tree planter.

However her father told a B.C. news website Thursday that police may have located her remains.

Jack Hoar told opinion250.com that police advised him they may have "but can't be certain" that they located his daughter's remains on a rural central B.C. property.

Hoar was last seen in June 2002 as she hitchhiked from Prince George to Smithers along Highway 16 to surprise her sister.

Eighteen women have disappeared along the stretch of road between Prince George and Prince Rupert, earning it the ominous name, Highway of Tears.

Police were combing a five-acre property in Isle Pierre, about 800 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

The property had once been the home of Leland Vincent Switzer — a man convicted of killing his own brother Irwin, just two days after Hoar's disappearance.

Linteau said a previous owner is a person of interest in the investigation. She would not comment on Switzer as a suspect in the murder.

While details are scarce, Linteau said the investigation involves "just one (homicide) at the moment." A police source has told The Vancouver Province that investigators fear more remains may be found.

The main home — now occupied by other residents — will not be searched, but all other buildings on the property will be.

Switzer has been jailed since 2005, when he was given a life sentence for fatally shooting his brother in the chest on the family farm with what he told court was a warning shot fired in self-defence.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/scrip...Province/image

© Copyright (c) CW Media Inc.



Police confirm search is for missing Albertan
Graeme Wood and Mary Frances Hill, Vancouver Sun: Friday, August 28, 2009

VANCOUVER — The RCMP confirmed today that their search of a rural Prince George property is related to the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar, who was 25 when she vanished along Highway 16 while working as a tree planter.

Earlier, the father of a woman who went missing on the "Highway of Tears" has told a media outlet that the RCMP have contacted him regarding his daughter's case, which may now be linked to a convicted murderer.

Jack Hoar told opinion250.com, an online news outlet based in Prince George, that the RCMP told him it may have located the remains of his daughter Nicole Hoar, however, no confirmation has yet been made.

“We will just sit tight and wait and see” Hoar said.

“Although it would be good to have closure.”

Nicole vanished near Prince George along Highway 16 while working as a tree planter. She is one of 18 women and girls who went missing along the infamous "Highway of Tears" since 1990.

The RCMP are occupying five acres of a property near Prince George to investigate what they are calling a "historical homicide."

A team of investigators has been searching a rural area surrounding 31645 Pinewood Road in the District of Isle Pierre for several days, said RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Annie Linteau.

The property surrounds a mobile home, which will not be searched, said Linteau.

"We'll be searching everything in its entirety, except the home," she said.

"We have no information that would suggest the owner of the property is involved in this investigation."

However, Linteau did say that a previous owner of the property is a "person of interest" in the case and that the person is known to police.

The property in question was once owned by convicted murderer Leland Vincent Switzer.

In 2005 Switzer was found guilty for the second-degree murder of his brother Irvin on June 23, 2002 after a lifelong feud between the two.

The murder occurred two days after Nicole went missing.

Switzer claimed self defence in the case, including his belief that Irvin had AIDS and would pass the disease on to Switzer during an altercation.

At age 16, according to a court document, his mother made him promise her that he wouldn't kill Irvin. A month before he did, he asked his mother if he could take back his promise.

"I am satisfied in the end that animosity got the better of the accused and he shot his brother," stated the judge in his reasons for judgement, who added he believed Switzer to be psychotic during the time leading up to the murder.

Switzer was then sentenced to life in prison where he remains.

Linteau could not release any names or other details regarding the investigation but said the RCMP was "confident [the person of interest] is not a threat to the public" and that "we know where this person is."

Switzer has a long criminal record beyond the murder conviction. In the past decade he has been found guilty of mischief under $5,000, numerous assaults, failing to appear in court, wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and a number of driving offences.

Linteau would also not comment on whether the police investigation is related to the so-called "Highway of Tears."

Initially, the "Highway of Tears" investigation focused on Highway 16, a desolate two-lane highway running from Prince Rupert to Prince George and on to Edmonton.

Police later expanded the geographical scope to include unsolved cases along other major highways in B.C., including those leading to Hudson's Hope, Kamloops, Merritt, 100 Mile House, and extending as far as Hinton, Alta.

P.I. Hopes RCMP Search Yields Results

By 250 News

Friday, August 28, 2009 04:00 PM

Prince George, B.C.-The private investigator who has spent several years looking for clues in the disappearances and deaths of several women along Highway 16 says he hopes the RCMP can find the evidence they are looking for on the Pinewood Road acreage west of Prince George.

The RCMP historical homicide unit has been on the scene of the acreage since Thursday morning, and have confirmed their presence is part of their investigation into the disappearance of 25 year old Nicole Hoar. She was last seen June 21st hitch hiking to Smithers.

Ray Michalko says his investigation lead him to Isle Pierre several times “I wanted to do a door to door visit like I normally do, but when I got there and saw the community and pit bulls chained to the fence, (of properties in the area) I asked myself do I really want to do this?” He never did go door to door.

Michalko, who will be a guest on the Meisner program on 93.1 CFIS FM on Monday, says if remains are found on the site, the RCMP may still face a challenge “They will still have to prove who put them there.”

The private investigator had launched an extensive search of an area not far from the property which is now cordoned off by police tape. In May of 2007, Michalko and dozens of searchers, including members of the Hoar family, did a grid by grid search of the Norman Lake Transfer station which is on the opposite side of highway 16 a couple of kilometres west of the Isle Pierre turn off. That search failed to turn up any clues in the disappearance of the 25 year old tree planter, or any of the others who have disappeared over the years from highway 16.

The property where RCMP investigators have set up their forensics trailer and mobile command post was once owned by Leland Vincent Switzer. He is currently serving time for the second degree murder of his brother Irvin, a murder which took place just two days after Nicole disappeared. “I tried to talk to Switzer” says Michalko, “ I had heard the name before.” But Michalko was not successful in his attempts.

Michalko is hopeful this chapter in the investigation will prove fruitful “Maybe if they find remains, it will give one family closure. It is only one case, but maybe it will be the start of something good and lead to the resolution of other cases.”

Although there have been questions raised about the possibility of a serial killer travelling that stretch of highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert, Michalko says he never bought into that theory “I have always believed that in at least half of the cases of the nine disappearances I was originally investigating, there were different people involved. I have always said there was no, ‘one’, killer.”

Hoar Family Issues Statement

By 250 News

Friday, August 28, 2009 02:28 PM

PrinceGeorge, B.C.-The family of Nicole Hoar, the 25 year old tree planter missing since June 21st of 2002, is asking for privacy. The family had the RCMP release the following statement;

"Our family is aware of the police search currently going on west of Prince George. We are supportive of the police investigation and hoping it may further their investigation into the case of our missing daughter.
Our thoughts continue to be with Nicole. Nicole is just one of many missing persons in that area and our thoughts continue to be with their families as well. This is a difficult time for us, and we would ask that the media please be respectful of our privacy."

Jack and Barb Hoar and family

Police have confirmed they are searching the Pinewood Road acreage property for evidence in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar. When contacted by Opinion 250 last night, Jack Hoar said he had been contacted by the RCMP and that they had told him they thought they might have the location where Nicole's remains may be found. The investigation in that area at this point has focused on interviews with people in the area.

On site are the RCMP mobile command post and the mobile forensics trailer.

Corporal Annie Linteau says a previous owner of the property is a person of interest in this case,and RCMP have spoken with that person, someone she says "poses no threat to the public."

One of the previous owners was Leland Vincent Switzer who is serving a life sentence for the 2nd degree murder of his brother Irvin on July 23rd, 2002. That murder happened just two days after Nicole disappeared.

Police Now Confirm Search Is For Remains of Nicole Hoar

By 250 News

Friday, August 28, 2009 12:24 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Investigators from the "E" Division Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit are continuing their search of a property located at 31645 Pinewood Road in the District of Isle Pierre, west of Prince George.

Investigators have now confirmed what opinion 250 reported last night, namely that they are searching for evidence on the property that will help further their investigation into the 2002 disappearance of Nicole Hoar.

Nicole Hoar, who was from Red Deer, Alberta, was last seen on June 21, 2002, while hitchhiking on Highway 16, just west of Prince George, in front of Mr. G's (gas station). She was going to Smithers to visit her sister and was employed as a tree planter at the time of her disappearance.

She was last seen wearing army colored capri pants, sandals, glasses, a tank top, a red shirt with a yellow collar with the word "Ravens" on it, and she carried two bags. The first one was a dark green bag with an orange patch on it, while the other was a large purple and black backpack.

A limited amount of information is available at this time. The search is still in the preliminary stages and no evidence or remains have been located at this point.

Anyone who has seen or heard anything suspicious in the Isle Pierre area during the weekend of June 21-23, 2002, or who may have information in relation to the disappearance of Nicole Hoar are asked to contact the "E" Division Unsolved Homicide Unit at 1-877-543-4822 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

RCMP say one of the previous owners of the property is a "person of interest" in this investigation, that the person does not pose a threat to the public, and that they have spoken to this person.

One of the previous owners was Leland Vincent Switzer who is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for ten years for the second degree murder of his brother Irvin on June 23rd of 2002.

MISSING / MURDERED CASES IN BC

HIGHWAY OF TEARS ( BC )



Highway 16 aka "Highway of Tears"

Highway 16 west has been dubbed the Highway of Tears, after at least five First Nations women vanished or were found murdered there, between 1994-1995.
NONE OF THESE CASES HAVE BEEN SOLVED.

Highway 16 aka "Highway of Tears"starts in the Rocky Mountains on the eastern border of BC, and extends right across the province to the western border. Starting close to Valemont in the east, it cuts through McBride, Prince George, Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Terrace and Prince Rupert in the west. From Prince Rupert, the ferry brings you down the inner channel to connect to Port Hardy and Port McNeill on Vancouver Island.

MURDERED

Ramona Wilson

RAMONA WILSON , aged 15, was hitchhiking to her friends home in Smithers, BC, on June 11, 1994. Ramona's body was found a year later near the Smithers Airport.
Every year on Ramona's birthday, the Wilson family gathers at the site for a memorial, a heartbreaking ritual that she said will continue until the case is solved
UNSOLVED




Lana Derrick


LANA DERRICK, , aged 19, disappeared Oct. 7, 1995, at a service station in Thornhill while home from school for the weekend. Lana was enrolled in forestry studies at Northwest Community College.
UNSOLVED



MISSING

Delphine Nikal

DELPHINE NIKAL , aged 16. Disappeared from Smithers, BC on June 13, 1995, hitchhiking east on Highway 16 from Smithers to her home in Telkwa.
UNSOLVED



MURDERED

ROXANNE THIARA

ROXANNE THIARA , aged 15 disappeared from Prince George, went missing in Nov, 1994.
Her body was discovered dumped near Burns Lake on December 9, 1994.
UNSOLVED




MURDERED
Alishia Demarah Germaine

ALISHIA DEMARAH GERMAINE, aka Leah Germaine or Leah Cunningham, 16, attended a Christmas dinner hosted by the RCMP at the Native Friendship Centre on George Street on December 9, 1994. She left around 8:00 pm and was seen at the then - Holiday Inn, also on George Street and J.C. Funland. At 11:45 the same night, police were called to Haldi Road School on Leslie Road. Three people cutting through the school yard came across the body of a young woman. It was Leah Germaine. An autopsy revealed she was the victim of multiple stab wounds.
The 16 year old was a drug-user and was known to work the city streets as a prostitute. Subsequent stories reported she was trying to straigten out her life, get off the streets and finish her education. She never got the chance. A composite drawing was done by someone, a possible witness, who may have seen Germaine on the night she was killed. The effort met with success. However, after interviewing the person in the drawing, police were still no closer to finding Germaine's killer.
Still later in December, police were on the search for the owner of a dark blue pick up truck with a home made canopy of the back that was parked on Fifth Avenue downtown, near the Post Office the night Germaine was killed. Some of Germaine's remains and personal effects had been found near that location. However, police were quick to add the owner of the truck was not a suspect, but may simply have seen something of importance.
Early on in the investigation, there were some suspicions Germaine's murder and those of Roxanee Thiara, Cindy Burke in Dawson Creek and Delphine Nikal and Ramona Wilson, both of Smithers were connnected. All the victims were between the ages of 15 and 20. A team of investigators, including two FBI trained behavioural profilers came to the area for a week in 1995. However, that theory has since been dispelled by these investigators
Some still believe that the murders of so many young native women in the area IS the work of a serial killer(s). UNSOLVED



OTHER BC CASES


MISSING

Corrine Cunningham

CORRINE CUNNINGHAM, aged 19 of the Katzie Reserve near Pitt Meadows, BC, disappeared on November 24th, 2005 at approximately 3 pm when she left "New Transitions" in the Industrial Park, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia.
Corrina is extremely friendly, naive and has a tendency to befriend older men. Corrina is artistically inclined and has been known to sit and draw on the side of the road.
Corrine has a developmental disability with the mental capacity of a 12-year-old. Corrina was last seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap and black corduroy pants, carrying a black and grey backpack. She may have other clothing with her. She has an eyebrow ring above her right eye. Corrina is approximately 5'1", 175lbs, with shoulder length wavy dark brown hair.
Corrina may be riding her new black BMX bicycle. Anyone who may have seen or knows the whereabouts of Corrina or the location of her BMX bicycle are asked to contact the Ridge Meadows RCMP Detachment immediately at 604 - 465-2402.
Foul play is not suspected at this time. However, Corrina’s family is very concerned because of her vulnerable disability and want to hear from her.



MISSING

Dorcas Gail Shorson

DORCAS GAIL SHORSON, aged 24, of Surrey BC was last seen April 2, 2005 when she left the family home on Larner Road.
Shorson is described as aboriginal, five feet five inches tall, 131 pounds with red hair and brown eyes. She was wearing jeans and a blue coat when last seen.
Police say the missing woman is likely a sex-trade worker in Vancouver or Surrey and is taking drugs.
"We're worried about her because she is in a line of work that is very risky," said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Diane Blain.
"We are hoping that people will have eyes and ears for her out there and that they can call us to say that she is safe."

UNSOLVED




MISSING

Rene Gunning

RENE GUNNING, aged 20 of Fort St. John BC, has been missing since February 19, 2005. She is approximately 5'2" in height and 110 pounds, with shoulder length black hair and brown eyes. Rene Gunning was in the Edmonton Alberta area until the end of February at which time she is believed to have left back to the Fort St. John area in the company of another female from Dawson Creek. The pair were thought to be hitchhiking for transportation.
If you have seen Rene Gunning please contact the Fort St. John RCMPolice Detachment at (250)787-8140.



MISSING

Lorna Ulmer-Billy

LORNA ULMER-BILLY, aged 14 of Surrey BC, left her home in the 15100 block of 86 Avenue and her family hasn’t heard from her since. ULMER-BILLY has run away in the past to Squamish and Vancouver. Her family is concerned for her safety although no foul play is suspected at this time.
ULMER-BILLY is described as being of native decent, approximately 5’ 4” in height (163 cm), and weights 124 pounds (59 kg). She has dark brown/black shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a black shirt.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of this young person is asked to contact Cst. Kevin Morris of the Surrey RCMP at 604 599-0502, or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-Tips.


MISSING

Lisa Paul

LISA PAUL , aged 17 of Vancouver, BC, disappeared from her home on August 4, 2005. Lisa is known to frequent the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver and her family and police are concerned for her safety.She is described as First Nations, 5’ 8”, 135 lbs., with long brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about this incident should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.




MISSING



Tawyna Megan Lisk


TAWYNA MEGAN LISKTawyna Megan Lisk, aged 16, was last seen on on Sunday,July 18th, 2004. when she called a friend from Vernon and stated she was going to Calgary Alberta .
Tawyna is described as:
Native
Ht: 170 cm (5' 7")
Wt: 73 kg (162 lbs)

Reddish Brown hair, shoulder length Brown eyes

As there is some indication that Tawnya may have gone to the Calgary area and that her mode of transportation is unknown, it is suspected she may have hitch-hiked. Steps are underway with Ministry of Children and Family’s in both BC and Alberta to establish her whereabouts.
If anyone has any information in regards to Tawnya’s whereabouts, please contact Kamloops City Detachment RCMP at 250-828-3000.



Sarah Strachan, 16- Missing from Coquitlam, BC


To read details of Sarah's disappearance please CLICK HERE




Christina Wallace - 72 year old native woman missing from Vancouver, BC



To read details of Ms. Wallace's disappearance, please CLICK HERE

MURDERED

Ada Brown


ADA BROWN, aged 39 of Prince George, BC, died three weeks after suffering a serious head injury during a beating.
Her family reports that she sought medical attention on three different occasions, following the beating and was turned away.
"When she died, and we went to the funeral home, my sister and I didn't recognize her. It was obvious she had been badly beaten – several times – yet the authorities had ruled she died of 'natural causes.' It is a sad thing when you realize your baby sister was marginalized in life and in death." states her sister, Terri Brown.



MURDERED

Savannaha Hall

SAVANNAHA HALL, aged 3 of BC, died as a result of violence on her by her foster parents. Savanna was placed into care in 1999 and placed in a foster home in Prince George, BC. She died in January 2001 after her foster parents took her to hospital in a coma. Her foster parents brought her to hospital after finding her struggling to breathe in her crib.
An autopsy couldn't determine her cause of death, but noted she had advanced hypothermia, excessive brain swelling and unexplained bruises. A coroner's report did not call for an inquest, despite at least two corSavannah's foster mother is suing the Ministry for Children and Family Development, alleging it didn't provide the proper support for the little girl.
In its statement of defence, the government alleged the longtime foster mother provided "substandard" care to some children. Documents also indicate that Savannah was tied up with a leather harness in her crib to control night temper tantrums.
Both a preliminary coroner's report and an internal government probe concluded she had been neglected and abused, and three doctors found her bruising was "consistent with abuse."
Two coroners lobbied internally for an inquest, but the final report did not call for one or make recommendations.
But behind the scenes a battle was waged for more than two years to hold an inquest into the January 2001 death of the foster child, according to an internal government memorandum obtained by The Vancouver Sun.
"Still believe this case should go to inquest," Beth Larcombe, the coroner who investigated the case, wrote in a 2003 e-mail to three officials in the Solicitor-General's Ministry.
Larcombe, who declined to be interviewed for this story and expressed surprise that The Sun had the memo, wrote it to provide her superiors with a detailed chronology of events in the case.
The four-page memo, which has never been published, also suggests serious misgivings within the government about the death of Savannah, who was rushed to hospital after her foster mother found her struggling to breathe in her crib.
"All agreed that some of Savannah's injuries are not consistent with accidental injuries," wrote Larcombe about a September, 2002 meeting that included senior members of the coroners service, the RCMP and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. "Especially the bruise on the bottom of her right foot and some facial contusions. Concerns still exist," wrote Larcombe, now with the regional coroners office in Vancouver.
The memo indicates the fight to have a full-blown investigation into the death of Savannah, whose foster parents were tying her up in a leather harness at night, even got the attention of Liberal MLAs Rich Coleman, now forests and range minister, and Pat Bell, now agriculture and lands minister.
The memo suggests Bell, then a Prince George MLA, sent Savannah's autopsy report to Coleman, who was then B.C.'s solicitor-general, and made some sort of request to the coroners service.
The memo did not specify what Bell's request was, but it prompted a Sept. 6, 2001 e-mail exchange between chief coroner Terry Smith, deputy chief coroner Norm Leibel, and deputy solicitor-general Tony Heemskerk, after which the politicians were advised "this is a RCMP investigation."
Coleman noted in an interview that the Crown determined there were no grounds for a charge.
Karen Johnston, a spokeswoman for current Solicitor-General John Les, said: "I'm also given to understand that police did investigate and the Crown said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with charges."
Larcombe was not the only person within the coroners service demanding an inquest.
Former investigator Kathleen Stephany, who investigated Savannah's death, also wanted a probe into the Prince George foster home, which the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) now alleges had a long history of children complaining of abuse.
NDP MLA Adrian Dix, who has the foster care system under scrutiny, Monday called for an inquest.
So has Savannah's mother, Corinna Hall. "My daughter needs to rest. This should have been done a long time ago," she said.
Savannah's story has raised troubling questions about B.C.'s beleaguered child-welfare system, at a time when the government is scrambling to answer why reviews were not completed into the deaths of 713 children after the Liberals abolished the children's commission in 2002.

MISSING

Chelsey Acorn

CHELSEY ACORN, aged 14 of Abbottsford BC, disappeared late in the afternoon on June 10th 2005 but has not yet returned home. It is believed that Chelsea has runaway and could be in the Surrey area. There has been some information that she was seen at Seven Oaks Mall in Abbotsford.
Chelsea is 5ft 3 inches tall and 115 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who has seen or knows her whereabouts is asked to call Abbotsford Police at 604-859-5225 or their local police department.


MISSING

Corrina Cunningham Katzie Reserve/Pitt Meadows, B.C

CORRINA CUNNINGHAM, aged 19, of Katzie Reserve/Pitt Meadows, B.C was last seen on November 24th, 2005 at approximately 3 pm when she left "New Transitions" in the Industrial Park, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. Corrina is extremely friendly, naive and has a tendency to befriend older men. Corrina is artistically inclined and has been known to sit and draw on the side of the road.
Corrina has a developmental disability with the mental capacity of a 12-year-old.
Corrina was last seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap and black corduroy pants, carrying a black and grey backpack. She may have other clothing with her. She has an eyebrow ring above her right eye. Corrina is approximately 5'1", 175lbs, with shoulder length wavy dark brown hair.
Corrina may be riding her new black BMX bicycle.
Anyone who may have seen or knows the whereabouts of Corrina or the location of her BMX bicycle are asked to contact the Ridge Meadows RCMP Detachment immediately. Corrina’s family is very concerned because of her vulnerable disability characteristics and want to hear from her.



MURDERED

Charlene Kerr

CHARLENE KERR , 29, of Vancouver, BC. discovered in a pool of blood in a Gastown Hotel. She was a drug addicted prostitu
te and is believed to have been killed during a robbery in 1990. UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Colleen Shook

COLLEEN SHOOK , of Burnaby, BC, stabbed to death while getting off a bus in 1975. UNSOLVED




MURDERED

Dianne Stewart

DIANNE MARY STEWART , aged 42 disappeared after leaving a house party on the Penticton Indian Reserve on December 31, 1996.
Despite a massive search Stewart was not located. On May 7, 1997 a member of the band searching for horses located some human remains. An autopsy confirmed the remains were those of Stewart and that she had been murdered.




UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Mary Jane Jimmie

MARY JANE JIMMIE, was found murdered on the banks of the Fraser River on or about June 26, 1987.


UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Jennifer Cusworth


JENNIFER CUSWORTH, aged 19 of Kelowna, BC, was murdered after leaving a party at a Kelowna home on October 16, 1993. Her body was found on Swamp Road.>
On the tenth anniversary of her murder, a native healing ceremony was held on Swamp Road where her body was found. More Info UNSOLVED





MURDERED

Ann Ruby Threlfell

ANN RUBY THRELFELL , 24, of Vancouver, BC, strangled to death, Jan. 12, 1980. UNSOLVED




MISSING

Verna Littlechief

VERNA LITTLECHIEF aka Bernie Roberts , Date of Birth: July 2,1944
Date Last Seen: 1978 ( aged 34 ), Reported Missing: March 4,2002

Verna is a native female, 5'2" tall, with black, shoulder length hair. She was involved in the sex trade in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and has a history of alcohol abuse. Her family reported her missing last March to the RCMP in Saskatchewan as a result of the extensive media attention surrounding the missing women investigation. UNSOLVED



MISSING

Belinda Ann Cameron

BELINDA ANN CAMERON, aged 42 of Esquimalt, B C, disappeared in early May, 2005. Belinda, also known as Belinda Ann Engen.
Belinda is described as a Native female, 5’8”, 170 lbs. with black hair. She suffers from schizophrenia and needs daily medication to keep the condition in check. Belinda is believed to be involved in the sex trade and drug use.
Belinda has not picked up her welfare cheques, and has missed several appointments, leading us to believe she has met with foul play.
If you have any information on this crime or any other crime please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)


Michelle Caroline Choiniere

MICHELLE CAROLINE CHOINIERE, aged 24, of Surrey, BC, was last seen in the Guildford area, sometime between Sept. 19 and Sept. 26. Michelle is described as aboriginal, five feet nine inches tall and 131 pounds with green eyes, long reddish-brown hair, and a scar on her left knee. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a white shirt. She is known to be involved in the sex trade.
Although known to be a transient, Michelle’s absence is out of character. There are medical concerns related to substance abuse.
Police ask anyone who might know where these missing people are to call 604-599-0502 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.


Wendy Poole

WENDY POOLE ,26, of Vancouver, found beaten to death Jan. 26, 1989 on the second floor of a Downtown Eastside housing coop. She was the mother of one and was pregnant with her second child. A man arrested in connection with her death was later acquitted. UNSOLVED

UPDATE
A VANCOUVER FIRST, EAST SIDE PARK NAMED AFTER FIRST NATIONS WOMAN :
A coalition of first nations and local community groups and individuals from Vancouver's downtown eastside campaigned with the help of Green Party Commissioner Roslyn Cassells to name a local mini-park after slain aboriginal woman Wendy Poole. Wendy, whose murder remains unsolved, is one of the many young women on the downtown eastside killed, but not forgotten. This is the first of Vancouver's almost 200 parks to be named after an aboriginal person. Most parks are named after rich white guys. Wendy was not famous, not rich, and not white. Wendy Poole had a gentle nature and a radiant smile. Her friends and family loved her and will never forget her, and our community will honour the passing of this individual, whose life and death was not so different from many others in the downtown eastside. In the highest of honour, we will remember Wendy Poole.



MURERED

Cherish Oppenheim
CHERISH BILLY OPPENHEIM , aged 16 of Merritt BC on October 13, 2001.

Her body was found after the man's arrest in Kelowna on Oct. 22, 2001 on an unrelated matter.

Police called the case suspicious because Oppenheim, 16, had never run away and had no family problems.

Neary said police found Oppenheim's body 22 kilometres south of Merritt in a wooded area. Oppenheim, a good student in Grade 11, was last seen at a convenience store in the early hours of Oct. 13 in this southern Interior community. Police and volunteers searched the area and distributed thousands of flyers across the province.

RCMP got an anonymous phone tip saying the teen had been seen getting into a car about 2:15 a.m. on the morning she disappeared.

Thelma Oppenheim, Cherish's sister, said Cherish had a curfew of 1 a.m. and was at the local 7-11 store just before heading home.

Cherish's older sister, Ashley, saw her there and walked her home.

"Her hand was touching the door handle like she was going in and then her older sister left," Thelma Oppenheim said. She said Cherish was seen later at the 7-11.

Police found the body after arresting Dezwaan on Friday on an unrelated matter, said Cpl. Sean Neary.

Police found the body Sunday after arresting Robert Raymond Dezwaan on an unrelated matter, said Cpl. Sean Neary

In 1 incident, he's accused of confining, sexually assaulting and robbing a Kelowna prostitute. He was also charged with threatening the new boyfriend of his former girlfriend, who testified Dezwaan threatened to "rip his head off". The former girlfriend broke into tears while being aggressively questioned by Dezwaan's lawyer. That emotional outbreak then triggered a similar reaction by Dezwaan, forcing the judge to order a recess.

Afterwards, Dezwaan was found not guilty on the threatening charge, but he was convicted on two counts of breaching a court order. He was handed a 30-day jail sentence and fined $400. Dezwaan has also been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cherish Oppenheim.

UPDATE

He reversed his innocent plea to guilty of first degree murder and now faces a life sentence, with no chance of parole for fifteen years. Dezwaan apologized to her family in court, claiming alcohol abuse.

The court heard Dezwaan claim he and the teenager drank together and had sex that she agreed to, but the prosecution countered with evidence Cherish Oppenheim had been forced to have sex and was brutally beaten to death.

When he was charged with murdering the teenager, Dezwaan was in custody for breaching bail conditions related to a sex crime, shortly before he killed her.

Two months before he murdered Cherish Billy Oppenheim, he was released by Kelowna Provincial Court on Aug. 15, 2001, on $7,500 bail. But he breached court ordered conditions and police arrested him on those counts on October 19th, just a few days after the girl went missing and was found dead.

Feb. 20, 2002 Dezwaan was given a life sentence for the murder of Cherish Billy Oppenheim.



MURDERED


Crystal Baker

CRYSTAL PEGGY BAKER , aged 35,was found floating in the Fraser River, under the Port Mann Bridge on April 2002.

The body was eventually identified on June 19th, 2002, subsequent to a missing person report being filed by her boyfreind and a member of his family.

The Serious Crime investigators have determined that Crystal was last seen by her boyfriend in the vicinity of the Middle Gate Mall in Burnaby on April 22nd, 2002. She was known to be a a sex trade worker who resided in the municipality of Delta.

The investigators have also determined that Crystal was the victim of foul play although they are confident that her untimely death is not related to the sex trade. The cause of death will not be revealed at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Anyone with information on this murder investigation is asked to call Cpl. Garry MOORE, Serious Crime Unit, Coquitlam Detachment at 604-945-1456, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
UNSOLVED


MURDERED

Lisa Bear aka Lisa Marie Graveline
LISA MARIE GRAVELINE AKA LISA BEAR , aged 20, found in a dumpster in downtown eastside Vancouver .wrapped in a cotton comforter, her hair pulled up in a ponytail, on May 1, 2001. She had been stabbed to death. Lisa was a drug addicted prostitute. In June 1999, her mother was found dead of a suspicious overdose behind a strip joint, the No. 5 Orange at Powell and Main.
Thong Thanh Huynh, 34, charged with Second Degree murder of Lisa. Accused goes to trial in 2004



MURDERED

UNKNOWN NAME

UNKNOWN NAME, the mother of Lisa Graveline was found dead of a suspicious overdose behind a strip joint, the No. 5 Orange, at Powell and Main.UNSOLVED





MURDERED

Alberta Williams
ALBERTA WILLIAMS , aged 24, found murdered Sept. 25, 1988. She had been reported missing a month earlier.
Alberta's sister, Karen Williams, continues to ask RCMP how the case is proceeding now that their father is too ill to make the trip down to the detachment.
"The report looks the same as the first day they started," said Lorenda Kasperski, coordinator of the First Nations Women's Council in Terrace. UNSOLVED




MURDERED

Norma Tashoots
NORMA CECILIA TASHOOTS , aged 17, originally from Iskut, BC, but residing in Vancouver..
Norma's body was found on July 10, 1989 in a wooded area near 100 Mile House.
The cause of death was as a result of a gun shot wound to the head. She was last seen alive on 89-06-25 when she was dropped off on Highway 97 in 100 Mile House. Her intention was to hitch-hike to Vancouver.
She had been visiting family in 100 Mile House, BC. Norma was last seen by her family on June 25, 1989, before leaving to return to Vancouver.
For the first few months of the investigation, investigators had no strong suspects. In October of 1989 a resident of 100 Mile House came forward and suggested that Jerry BAKER was responsible. Jerry BAKER lived in the 100 Mile House area at the time.
Investigators determined that BAKER had reported his 44 cal. Ruger handgun stolen to the Detachment in 100 Mile House the day after TASHOOTS was last seen. It was also determined that he had an extensive criminal record which included rape. BAKER became a suspect and was interviewed at which time his explanation of the circumstances surrounding the theft of his gun were very suspicious. Investigators continued to concentrated their efforts on BAKER.
In early 2001, Southeast District Major Crime Unit in Kamloops reopened the investigation. After a complete file review BAKER continued to be investigated as a possible suspect. BAKER eventually confessed murdering Norma TASHOOTS to a Police Officer and where he had disposed of the murder weapon.
On February 1, 2002, Jerry BAKER was arrested and charged with the first degree murder of Norma TASHOOTS.
In May of 2002, police recovered the handgun from a sewage lagoon near Forest Grove. The handgun was in excellent condition and was the registered handgun belonging to BAKER that he had reported stolen in 1989.
On Sept. 19, 1990, it was reported that the accused had eight convictions for various sexual assault and weapons offences.
He also had a rape conviction in 1970 for which he received five years, and two 1990 convictions for assault under s. 266, drawing suspended sentences. Along with the rape conviction, his record notes a re-committal as a parole violator in June 1972.
On 03-02-18, a Jury in Williams Lake found Jerry BAKER guilty of 1st Degree Murder and he was sentence to life with no chance of parole for 25 years. To read some of his trial report, click Here



MURDERED
Sherry Irving

SHERRY IRVING aged 24. drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1997.

UPDATE: OCT 2, 2002
Robert ( Willie ) Pickton has been charged with the first degree murder of Sherry. Her DNA was found on his pig farm in Port Coquitilam, BC.



MURDERED

Norma (Lorna) George

NORMA GEORGE, aka Lorna George, aged 30, of Vancouver, BC. Her nude body was found “curled in a fetal position” on October 5th, 1992 in Aldergrove, BC. The probable cause of death was exposure. The family has many unanswered questions with regards to the police investigation, in particular with regards to the time of her disappearance and her death. Norma was missing for 5 1/2 days before her death. She was always in constant touch with her family but suddenly stopped calling. Where were her clothes and jewelery? How did she get to Aldergrove? Norma had only recently visited her home community and wanted to return permanently after finishing unsettled business in Vancouver.
Known by her family by the nickname, Adama, Norma George never returned to Takla Landing. Her half-sister, Claudine last saw her on September 28th, 1992 leaving the Balmoral Hotel on Hastings Street. She thought her sister was returning to Takla Landing as she had shouted: “I’m going home baby girl. I’m going home.”
In July 2004, the Missing Women's Task Force contacted the George family requesting DNA from Norma's children. Norma's case remains open and the police have not been able to exclude a link to Robert Picton and the murders on his farm.
UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Sarah Jean DeVries

SARAH JEAN DEVRIES , aged 29. DOB May 12,1969 (29). Sarah is First Nations/Mexican/Black (mixed race) 5'2" 9157 cm, approx 99 lbs (45 kg). Last seen early morning hours of April 14, 1998.
Sarah is a known drug addict and prostitute missing from downtown eastside Vancouver.
UPDATE Robert Pickton has been charged with Sarah's Murder.



MISSING

Lisa Marie Young


LISA MARIE YOUNG , aged 21 of Nanaimo, BC, Missing since June 30 2002.

Lisa had been out at a Nanaimo night club, and was later seen riding in a late 1980s burgundy Jaguar.

Police suspect foul play. UNSOLVED




MURDERED

Chasidy Whitford


CHASIDY WHITFORD, aged 2., was killed by her father just weeks before her second birthday.

Her little body was found in a shallow grave during the weekend of September 21, 2002 on the Lakahahmen Reserve, in British Columbia. Prior to her death, the child was in the care of her father.
Just weeks before she died, Chassidy showed up at hospital cut and badly bruised.

On July 8, 2002 the child came to the attention of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Xyolhemeylh, the delegated Sto:lo aboriginal and family services agency, through a child protection report. This resulted in a child protection investigation. The child and her father were subjects of ongoing protective family service from Xyolhemeylh at the time of the child's death.

The government report says that should have been a red flag to front-line social workers.

But Xlolhemeylh, the native-run child protection agency for the Sto:lo Nation, gave the child back to her father just four days later.

The report by the Children's Ministry says there was a failure by Xlolhemeylh to recognize the risk factors, noting there was no risk assessment or risk reduction plan.

"We have to look at specific training for the individuals involved, take a look at the training that's provided in the agency and make sure that procedures that we've established actually do work," says ministry spokesperson Jeremy Berland.

The review makes a total of 14 recommendations, which the Sto:lo Nation has agreed to implement. So far two people have resigned from Xlolhemeylh following the review.

But Chief Susan McKamey of the Lakahahmen First Nation says it's not just the agency's fault, saying members of the community who knew Chassidy was being abused should have spoken up.

"If your friend or your family member is doing something wrong, then it's the child you need to protect and not that adult. So we have to encourage people to understand they cannot cover up," she says.

Following a criminal investigation into the child's death, the child's father, Shawn Mackinaw. was charged with manslaughter, indignity to human remains and assault causing bodily harm. On October 27, 2003 he entered a guilty plea to criminal negligence causing death, assault causing bodily harm and indignity to human remains. He has been referred for psychiatric examination prior to sentencing. The type of sentencing is to be determined January 30, 2004.



MISSING

Michelle Gurney

MICHELLE GURNEY , aged 19. DOB Feb. 11,1969. 5 foot 4 inches (162 cm), 100 pounds (45.4 kg), long black hair, brown eyes. Michelle is a known drug addict and sex trade worker in the downtown east side Vancouver. Last seen December 1998. UNSOLVED



MISSING

Janet Henry

JANET HENRY , aged 37. Janet is 5 foot 3 inches (160cm),115 pounds (50kg), brown hair, brown eyes, glasses.
Born in 1961, Janet is the youngest. Her sister Donna who worries and weeps for her today, is the oldest of the thirteen children of this Namgis family from Kwaguilth Nation, Alert Bay, BC. They grew up in Kingcome Inlet on northern Vancouver Island but for a variety of reasons, most were attracted to the cities.
For all too many painful years, the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia has been home to dozens of Aboriginal women whose spirits got lost somewhere along the way and whose lives were consumed by drugs and prostitution.
Despite her life on the streets, Janet stayed in touch with her family. What prompted Donna Joseph to believe her "baby sister" had disappeared was her sudden silence.
"She always stayed in contact with my other younger sister Sandra Gagnon . . . and if it wasn't with Sandra, it was with my baby brother Lance who also lived in Vancouver," said Donna Joseph in an interview with Turtle Island Native Network.
In the summer of 1997 there were no more phone calls. Donna said that after three days the family know something was wrong, "She never ever did not call on a daily basis." It was then Donna Joseph started to learn more about her sister's lifestyle, "tylenol shooting and from that she became addicted to heroin and whatever other drugs were out there." When she went missing, Donna's sister Sandra who had been able to previously protect the family from some sordid details, revealed that Jan was 'on the street' to support her drug habit.
But Donna Joseph, a Native courtworker in Victoria, is one of those growing number of Aboriginal women you meet nowadays --- gentle, warm and caring but also strong and solid as a rock. She says "I feel really blessed that I'm receptive to all nations and the tools that come from them for my strength and spiritual maintenance."
UNSOLVED





MURDERED

Fabian Manley Paquette aka "FAYE Paquette

FABIAN MANLEY PAQUETTE, aka FAYE PAQUETTE, aged 42, transgendered woman, beaten to death on Feb. 4, 2002.
She worked as a prostitute in Prince George, BC. Her body was found February 5 stuffed into the back of a cube van in the parking lot of B.C. Alignment on First Avenue.
Dale William Eliason had spent the previous day drinking before picking up Paquette, who he thought was a female prostitute, and taking her back to the shop. The fatal fight began, according to Eliason, when he realized Paquette had breasts and a penis.
Paquette died as a result of a severe blow to the back of the head, likely when it came in contact with the cement floor.
Dale William Eliason was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
To read the trial report click HERE




MISSING

Danielle Larue

DANIELLE LARUE aged 25 is missing from downtown Eastside Vancouver, where she works as a prostitute.
A tipster called police in January, 2003, and alerted them that a woman had been missing since the beginning of December, 2002. The caller did not name the woman.
Investigators later discovered Larue's identity and suspect foul play may be involved. Police spokeswoman Sarah Bloor won't reveal further details about the tip since it's an ongoing investigation.
"We're hopeful someone can come forward with information about Danielle. She hasn't had any contact with family or friends since December and that's why we suspect foul play," Bloor said.
Officers aren't ruling out the possibility that Larue, a native woman from the Interior, has simply moved. Family members did not call police to report Larue missing.
The known drug addict was involved in the sex trade before she went missing, working in the Downtown Eastside since at least November.
Contact between Larue and family members has been "off and on" according to Bloor, and it's been some time since they've been in touch, which is not typical behaviour.
"We were hoping we would have additional contact by the person that originally alerted us but that hasn't happened-that's why we're coming forward," Bloor said. "Perhaps someone has seen Danielle or Danielle herself will call us if she's not in harm's way."
Larue is five-feet-seven-inches tall, weighs 125 pounds, has a light complexion, long black hair, brown eyes and several tattoos, including a black heart and cross on her forearm and a heart on her chest.
A dedicated phone line for the case has been set up at 604-717-3420. Information left on it will remain confidential.
UNSOLVED



MISSING

Stephanie Lane

STEPHANIE LANE , aged 20. Black/First Nations female, 5 foot 4 inches (162 cm),115 pounds (51 kg), long black wavy hair, brown eyes. Stephanie is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the area of the Patricia Hotel, downtown eastside Vancouver. Reported missing January 1997. UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Vanessa Buckner

VANESSA BUCKNER, a young, troubled native woman, was depressed over having just lost custody of her baby to Social Services, met up with and began partying with Gordon Paul Jordan on Oct. 11, 1987.
Jordan left the hotel room several times to purchase more alcohol.At about 7:40 a.m. on October 12, 1987 he called the police emergency number and reported that Vanessa Buckner was dead in the room in the hotel where they had been together. He gave no name to the police but they traced the call.
Vanessa's autopsy showed that she had an unusually high level of alcohol in her blood.
Jordan was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but had his sentence reduced to 9 years.
It is important to note that the accused killed a total of SEVEN Native women the same way, but was only charged with one count of murder. One of his victims, was known by all who knew her NOT to drink at all. She too had just given birth to a baby. Jordon was never charged in her murder. We have not been able to track down the other victims names yet, but will add them to this site as we do.

Interestingly, police had Jordan under surveillance at the time. evidence about drinking encounters between the accused and four Indian women in the week between 20 November, 1987 and 26 November, 1987. The accused and the women were under police surveillance in the hotels where they went to drink. The women did not die, perhaps because of the police surveillance and involvement. The first two women, at the end of the drinking sessions, had blood alcohol levels of .52 and .43. The blood alcohol levels in the third and fourth cases are not known.....While listening outside of hotel room doors, the accused was heard to say to various women such things as:
"Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;...When he was finally arrested, police broke into the hotel room and caught him laying over top of another native woman forcing a large bottle of vodka down her throat.
Police were able to save her life, but six other women were dead by that time.
Once released on parole, Jordan was ordered NOT to be in the presence of any woman while drinking, he was ordered not to drink in bars or public places where alcohol was served, etc. He violated all conditions and was repeatedly returned to jail. Some of Jordons trial reports can be read at Here and Here and Hereand Hereand Here.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #1 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #2 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #3 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #4 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #5 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.



MURDERED

Unknown woman

UNKNOWN WOMAN #6 from Vancouver BC was one of at least seven native women picked up byGordon Paul Jordan, a barber in Vancouver, brought to a cheap hotel room, and fed alcohol until she died.
Trial testimony was that he would pick out vulnerable native women bring them to his hotel room with offers of free booze and money. He would then say, "Have a drink, down the hatch baby, 20 bucks if you drink it right down; see if you're a real woman; finish that drink, finish that drink, down the hatch hurry, right down; you need another drink, I'll give you 50 bucks if you can take it;... until they died.
He would then, later, call police to say there was a dead woman in the hotel room.
Even after he was convicted, he continued this behaviour, has been re-arrested a number of times on violation of parole charges (being seen in public drinking places, or in the company of women), and he continues to be released from jail to repeat his behaviour. Today he is out of prison.





MISSING

Elsie Sebastien
ELSIE SEBASTIEN , drug addicted and worked in the sex trade in downtown eastside Vancouver. Disappeared in 1992. UNSOLVED



MISSING

Jacqueline Murdock

JACQUELINE MARIE MURDOCK , aged 28. DOB 1971, 5 feet 4 inches (163cm), 130 pounds (58kg), black hair, brown eyes. Jacqueline is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the downtown east side area of Vancouver. She was originally reported missing in Prince George: Last seen August 1997. UNSOLVED



MURDERED

Tanya Holyk

TANYA MARLO HOLYK , aged 24. 5 feet 6 inches (168cm), 115 pounds (52kg), long black curly hair, brown eyes. Tanya is a known drug addict and prostitute in downtown eastside Vancouver. She was last seen in October 1996.

UPDATE
Robert ( Willie ) Pickton of BC has been charged with first degree murder.
Sadly, Tanya's mother, Dixie Purcell, passed away in January, 2005 before seeing justice in her daughter's death.




MURDERED

Heather Chinnock

Heather Chinnock ,drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared April 2001.
UPDATE
Robert ( Willie ) Pickton of BC has been charged with first degree murder.



MURDERED

Christina Lorraine Christison

CHRISTINA LORRAINE CHRISTISON, 27, of Whalley BC, was stabbed to death by her husband, Cyrus Thunder Crane, aged 35, who thought she was having an affair.
Christina was stabbed 56 times.
Christina was the mother of four young children.
The court felt it was not a "crime of passion" because 15 minutes lapsed between the time he picked up the knife and began stabbing Christina.
The court heard Crane had amassed 39 criminal convictions between 1985 and 1999.
Originally charged with first-degree murder, Crane pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder - which still carries a life sentence but with much more latitude for parole.



MISSING

Olivia Williams

OLIVIA GAYLE WILLIAMS , aged 22, 5 foot 4 inches (153 cm), 125 pounds (55 kg), long black hair, brown eyes. Olivia is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the downtown east side Vancouver. Olivia was last seen in December 1996 and reported missing in July 1997. UNSOLVED



MISSING

Dorothy Spence

DOROTHY ANNE SPENCE , aged 36. 5 foot 6 inches (166 cm), 130 pounds (56 kg), long black hair, brown eyes. Dorothy is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the downtown east side Vancouver. She was last seen August 1995. UNSOLVED



Please sign our Petition to the Canadian Government to investigate why so many of these cases remain unsolved

Highway 16 is the British Columbia, Canada, section of the Yellowhead Highway. The highway closely follows the path of the northern B.C. alignment of the Canadian National Railway. The number '16' was first given to the highway in 1942, and originally, the route that the highway took was more to the north of today's highway, and it was not as long as it is now. Highway 16 originally ran from New Hazelton east to an obscure location known as Aleza Lake. In 1947, Highway 16's western end was moved from New Hazelton to the coastal city of Prince Rupert, and in 1953, the highway was extended all the way east into Yellowhead Pass. Highway 16's alignment on the Queen Charlotte Islands was commissioned in 1984, with BC Ferries beginning service along Highway 16 to the Queen Charlottes the following year.

British Columbia: Murder and racism along the Highway of Tears?
Share: Email Story Add to Any Digg Facebook Stumbleupon
by Barry Artiste | August 29, 2009 at 08:42 am
186 views | 48 Recommendations | 11 comments

Barry Artiste Op.Ed

Certainly disturbing that First Nations group claim Aboriginal women are treated as second class citizens, the facts are, it seems to be true unfortunately. A massive Police search for a sole white teen, while First Nations Bands wait for what seems like an eternity for answers for thier lost loved ones.

All missing women knew full well about the Highway of Tears, yet rolled the dice and hitchiked anyways to parts unknown, hence the responsibility for thier own safety rests solely on these missing women. A sad fact, but true. As for the murderer whoever he may be, lets hope he is caught and brought to justice. One caveat in all this, Take a BUS or get someone you know to give you a ride Ladies or stay at home, safe in the busom of your loved ones, clearly hitchiking is not worth the risk.

Safety

B.C. Hitchhikers Left to 'Highway of Tears' Mercy
Run Date: 11/18/07
By Wency Leung
WeNews correspondent

The murders of women--most of them Aboriginal--along Canada's Highway 16 in British Columbia stirred advocates to request a shuttle service to reduce hitchhiking on the dangerous road. A year later, women are still sticking their thumbs out.

Gladys Radek

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (WOMENSENEWS)--In her youth, Gladys Radek frequently hitchhiked along the remote highway where her niece disappeared two years ago.

Now 52, she recalls the dangers of catching rides with strangers in Canada's rural north.

In the early 1970s, Radek was raped by a truck driver who picked her up on Highway 16, a 450-mile stretch of road in northern British Columbia.

"He was a tiny guy, but he was muscular," Radek said of her assailant. "All of a sudden he said, 'I'm going to stop and pull over for a bit.'" Then he pulled her into the back of the truck.

After the attack, Radek managed to find her way home. But several women who traveled Highway 16, including Radek's niece, Tamara Chipman, have not.

At least nine young women--eight of them Aboriginals--were murdered or have vanished along the highway between the towns of Prince Rupert and Prince George since 1989, although the exact toll is widely debated. At least four were hitchhiking the last time they were seen. Some speculate more than 30 women have disappeared over the past 35 years on the road, locally known as the Highway of Tears.

Last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police added to their probe the disappearances and murders of nine more women, dating to 1969. This brings the total to 18, and expands their investigation to other parts of British Columbia and the neighboring province of Alberta.

"The scale and scope of the review makes it one of the larger ongoing projects in B.C.," the police said in a statement, but gave few details. They said they have not yet determined whether a serial killer may be at large.

As people along the highway corridor react to the string of disappearances, concerns have largely focused on the lack of safe travel options for women in the region, but a coordinated public transportation system is still little more than an idea.
Prevention Efforts Urged

Besides a Greyhound bus passing through once or twice a day, no public transportation is available along Highway 16. As the investigation widens, victims' families and communities along the highway are urging something be done about that.

Tony Romeyn, a former police volunteer in Prince George who operates a Web site for the victims' families, said hitchhiking remains one of the main modes of transportation for Aboriginal women in outlying communities and impoverished, isolated reservations.

"They're almost like caught in a Catch-22, right? What do they do?" Romeyn said. "Some come from impoverished families so they can't afford even the cost of a vehicle."

In March 2006, the provincial government sponsored a community symposium in Prince George, after the last known victim, Aielah Saric Auger, 14, was found murdered.

Participants--government officials, police, victims' families, Aboriginal groups and nonprofit organizations--established 33 recommendations aimed at improving the safety of the region's Aboriginal women.

Their list included a shuttle bus system that would provide transportation between reservations and the towns, emergency telephone booths on parts of the highway without cellular phone service and programs to educate Aboriginal parents on the need to keep track of their children's travel plans.

So far, progress has been made on about half the recommendations. Billboards have gone up along the highway to deter hitchhiking. The government's Highway of Tears Initiative, spurred by the symposium, has held workshops to educate people of the dangers, funded partly by a $52,000 government contribution.
Shuttle Service Hasn't Budged

But a key recommendation--the shuttle bus system--is far from rolling.

Lisa Krebs, the sole coordinator of the nongovernmental Highway of Tears Initiative, said talks with government and community leaders have not yet determined how much a shuttle system would cost, how it would be staffed, where it would run, when it could operate, how it would be funded. "It could be industry financed," she said. "We're not expecting the province to entirely fund this initiative."

Krebs said it is a huge undertaking for one person to coordinate the implementation of all the symposium recommendations, and added that political apathy and bureaucratic shuffle within the government have impeded her work.

The executive director of the province's Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mark Tatchell, said there is no lack of political will on its part, noting the government contributes more than $5.2 million annually to address safety in the region surrounding Highway 16, including outreach programs and halfway houses for women and children in crises of all kinds.

Tatchell said the government would consider providing funding for a shuttle bus system when a thorough plan is established. "Nobody's arguing that a shuttle bus isn't a good idea," he said.

Vancouver private investigator Ray Michalko, who has been voluntarily working on the Highway of Tears case for two years, doubts there is only one person responsible for the missing and murdered women, given the number of victims and the length of time between them.

He added that he has received an overwhelming number of calls from abused women in the northern region who have not notified authorities but share their stories with him, hoping it will help his independent investigation.
'Stolen Sisters'

Aboriginal women, aged 25 to 44, are five times more likely than other Canadian women of the same age to die as a result of violence, according to a 2004 Amnesty International report, "Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada."

Radek said systemic racism is in large part to blame because abused Aboriginal women often do not report attacks because they feel authorities don't take them seriously. She said that was why she never told police about the truck driver who raped her. In turn, perpetrators can act with impunity.

Before that rape, Radek said she had been repeatedly sexually abused while growing up in foster care. Like many Aboriginals of her generation, she was separated from her family to attend Canada's now defunct, notoriously discriminatory residential school system for First Nations people and was raised by different foster families. Radek said her painful childhood made her vulnerable to more violence.

The incident along Highway 16 did not deter Radek from hitchhiking again, nor did she warn the young women in her family against it.

"I was abused, and I just had the devil-may-care attitude," she said. "I didn't give a shit what happened to me."

But her niece's disappearance was a devastating blow. Radek has since become an activist for victims of the Highway of Tears.

Chipman, 22, the daughter of Radek's brother, was last seen hitchhiking on Highway 16 on Sept. 21, 2005.

Radek said she thinks the family will at some point understand what happened to her niece. "I do believe, in my heart, that we will find out in the end."

Wency Leung is a freelance journalist based in Vancouver, Canada.

[Starless]

http://www.kelowna.com/2009/12/12/th...t-their-lives/

These are the stories of the victims; For decades, women have vanished or been killed near these highways. This is a look at their lives

Saturday, December 12th, 2009 | 2:40 pm
Canwest News Service
For Levina Moody, a young woman from Bella Coola, a trip to Williams Lake, just off Highway 97, was an exciting diversion from small-town life.
But what started as a weekend adventure with her parents and her brother Dave ended with a horrific killing that remains unsolved 40 years later.
Levina's killing is the first case on an RCMP list that has been dubbed the Highway of Tears: 18 girls and women missing or slain along three major highways that weave through rural British Columbia and into Alberta.
The unsolved disappearances and deaths span 37 years. The victims are from multiple communities, diverse families and a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Thirteen of the 18 victims are teenagers. Ten of the 18 are native.
Police have placed Levina and other victims on the Highway of Tears list because they meet at least two of the following three criteria: they are female, they were engaged in a "high-risk activity" such as hitchhiking or the sex trade, and they either disappeared from or were found within a mile of highways 16, 97 or 5.
These girls and women are bound together in death: they all met brutal ends without anyone being held accountable — injustices that have left their families feeling doubly-victimized.
Here, for the first time, are the stories of all 18 women.
The Vancouver Sun travelled the roads of northern B.C., tracked down family members, and interviewed retired police officers.
The team pored through newspaper articles stored on microfiche to assemble the story, presented here in chronological order, of each known Highway of Tears victim.
Some were difficult to research because of the age of the cases, but for each family, the wounds are still painfully fresh.
For Levina Moody, that weekend road trip on Oct. 25, 1969 offered a chance to let go and have some fun.
Her two children, Vanessa, 4, and three-year-old Dan, stayed behind, and were babysat by their aunts.
"She was a really very happy person, very fun-loving and always trying to help people. She basically cared for us, me and my younger sisters, while my mother worked," Levina's brother Dave Moody said in a recent interview.
"I never saw her in a sad moment. She trusted everybody. That was her problem. She never really feared anybody," he added.
In Williams Lake that Saturday night, Dave and Levina went drinking in the Lakeview, Maple Leaf and Ranch Hotel beer parlours.
When Dave returned to his hotel room, he thought Levina was right behind him. "I don't know what happened after that," he said.
The next morning, her body was found by two hunters on a cattle trail about 10 km west of Williams Lake.
Levina had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and bled to death from her injuries. She was found nude, her clothes discarded nearby.
Although there were rampant rumours in Williams Lake about who committed the murder, it remained unsolved. In 1998 a police officer visited the family to say the three main suspects in the case were now dead.
In 2007, the Moodys were told Levina was being added to the Highway of Tears list. The development has left her relatives hopeful.
"You get really excited and you get scared, and all these things run through your head," said Vanessa Hans, who was just four when her mother was murdered.
Her brother Dan died after leading a hard life, something Vanessa attributes, in part, to the loss of their mother.
"Every one of our lives took a wrong turn after the murder in our family," she said. "Even within the community, even today, people have a hard time talking about it."
1970
Less than a year later, in the summer of 1970, a fresh-faced 18-year-old with a lovely smile vanished without a trace, not far from a different stretch of Highway 97.
According to police reports, two women in a car had dropped Micheline Pare off at the gates of Tompkins Ranch on Highway 20, between Fort St. John and Hudson's Hope.
She had been hitchhiking, a common method of travelling around for young, free-spirited girls in those days.
On Aug. 8, Pare's body was found 21 km away by a group of people picking Saskatoon berries beside the highway.
The teen, who came from Quebec, had been beaten with a blunt weapon. Officers believed she had been sexually attacked, although decomposition made it difficult to be certain.
Police trying to generate tips circulated a photo of Pare throughout B.C., along with this description: she was five-foot-four with brown hair and a dimple in her chin, and was wearing blue flare cords.
News about Pare's case soon fell silent, as it did for so many of these victims. Her name was added to the Highway of Tears list in 2007.
1973-1974
Four more teenagers vanished from four B.C. communities between October 1973 and December 1974 in a string of tragic circumstances that authorities often suspected were connected.
Gale Ann Weys disappeared on Oct. 19, 1973.
Police believe Weys left the service station where she worked in Clearwater at about 9:30 p.m. to hitchhike back to her parents' house in Kamloops.
Her nude, decomposed body was found nearly a year later, April 6, 1974, just off Highway 5, in a water-filled ditch 11 km south of Clearwater.
At the time of her killing, Const. Ron Hunchiak described Gale as a wholesome girl who taught girl guides and wasn't into drugs.
A month after Weys disappeared, Pamela Darlington, 19, of Kamloops, vanished. Pamela had told her roommates at about 9 p.m. on Nov. 6, 1973, that she planned to hitchhike to a local bar.
The next day, her body was found face down, partially clothed in the water of the Thompson River at Pioneer Park. She had been badly beaten.
The only clue officers had was from a passing train crew, who reported seeing a 1950s off-white or salmon-pink rusty Chrysler coming from the park and trying to cross the railway tracks.

[Starless]

Murder meeting drew investigators


In 1981, a Kamloops RCMP investigator named Mike Eastham organized a conference to compare notes on the growing number of unsolved female homicides along highways in the Interior of B.C. and into Alberta.
They were dubbed the Highway Murders because the bodies were found near major highways or the person was last seen along a highway, often hitchhiking.
Eastham thought the conference would attract maybe a dozen investigators. About 40 detectives showed up, including some from Alberta, making it the biggest meeting of its kind at that time.
What detectives found were similarities in cases, including reports of suspicious vehicles and even the names of persons of interest in boxes of paper files — this was well before computers, the Internet and e-mail.
Investigators then believed there were common factors in four cases, including the unsolved Alberta murder of Melissa Ann Rehorek and the B.C. case of Oanh Ngoc Ha.
Ha — a 19-year-old Vietnamese refugee — was found on Feb. 28, 1981, near Golden. She had been raped, strangled and her body mutilated after death.
The shy teen had come to Canada seven months earlier and landed a job as a chambermaid at a Banff hotel. Her body was found face down in the snow, a few metres from the Trans-Canada Highway, about 80 kilometres west of Golden, on the road to Kamloops, and 200 kilometres from Banff.
The fully-clothed body of Melissa Ann Rehorek, 20, was found Sept. 16, 1976, in a ditch along a gravel road about 20 kilometres west of Calgary near the Trans-Canada Highway. She had been strangled.
She was last seen leaving the Calgary YWCA, where she lived. She was planning on hitchhiking out of town for her two days off work from her job as a chambermaid at a local hotel.
RCMP investigators also suspected her killer might be the same man who strangled Barbara Jean MacLean five months later.
The night of Feb. 26, 1977, 19-year-old MacLean had argued with her boyfriend and decided to hitchhike home.
The following morning, a man walking his dog discovered Barbara's fully-clothed, strangled body beside a gravel road near 80th Avenue and 6th Street N.E. in Calgary.
Police traced her movements the night before to the Highlander Hotel tavern, where she and her boyfriend had argued after closing time.
The daughter of a retired physician, MacLean was originally from Nova Scotia and had moved to Calgary, where she worked at the Royal Bank, the Calgary Herald newspaper reported after the murder.
A person of interest in MacLean's murder was sex offender Gary McAstocker, 34. McAstocker hanged himself in 1994 in his Edmonton home hours before he was to be questioned by police in the suspected murder of a 14-year-old Edmonton girl, Tina McPhee, who disappeared a month earlier while walking to school.
He had just been released from prison after serving his full 11-year sentence for a 1982 rape and a subsequent 1988 sexual assault committed while on parole.
McAstocker was also reportedly the prime suspect in the 1976 murder of an Edmonton teenager, Marie Judy Goudreau, 17, who disappeared Aug. 2, 1976 on the way home to her family's farm on the edge of Edmonton. Her body was found two days later near Devon, southwest of Edmonton.
MacLean and Goudreau were both strangled and sexually assaulted. McAstocker had been working for an Edmonton-based moving company and was in Calgary at the time MacLean was killed.
The firm's employees often stayed at the Highlander while on Calgary business, the Herald reported.
Another similar Alberta case police looked at during the 1981 homicide conference was the murder of Pauline Brazeau, 16, who had moved to Calgary from Yorkton, Sask., in search of a new life for her nine-month-old daughter.
A month after her move, she and a friend visited a nearby pizza restaurant, departing about 2:30 a.m. But Brazeau returned alone to the restaurant 15 minutes later to retrieve a pair of gloves she left behind.
Her partially clothed body was found about five hours later on a forestry road near the Jumping Pound Airstrip, about 40 kilometres southwest of Cochrane. She had been stabbed to death.
Police believed she had either hitchhiked or was picked up by someone after leaving the restaurant.
The other Alberta case probed as having possible links with B.C. cases was that of Tara Jane White, 18, who was last seen July 1, 1976 in Calgary. White was heading to Lake Louise, where she had a summer job as a dining room waitress. She was a second-year science student at the University of Calgary.
Her skeletal remains were found almost five years later, on Mar. 24, 1981, in a shallow grave in a wooded area about 60 kilometres west of Calgary. Police believe White either accepted a ride to Banff/Lake Louise at the bus depot or she was picked up hitchhiking.
At the time, Golden RCMP Cpl. Blair Schaufele suggested the same person who killed White might be responsible for the death of Ha and other "highway murders."
"There's a possibility we're dealing with an individual that may be a bad guy that's in prison for a while, then gets out," he said.
Serial killer Clifford Olson at one time claimed to have "personal knowledge and information" about the unsolved murders of Ha, Pamela Darlington of Kamloops and others, but police dismissed the claims as bogus.
"At one time, he [Olson] was confessing to everything," recalled retired senior Mountie Fred Bodnaruk, who initially headed the Darlington investigation. "He was playing games."