Hue and Cry

The Highway of Tears

The Highway of Tears is an isolated 725-kilometer stretch of Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada.

It has been the location of numerous murders and disappearances starting in the late 60's. The majority of the victims belong to Indiginous communities. Poverty rates in this area are high and hitchhiking is often the only way for many to travel to work, school, visit family, or seek medical treatment.

Historically, Indigenous communities have been plagued by systematic racism and negligance from authorities, which is reflected in how many of these cases were handled. It is a widely believed that these cases will never be solved, but the families of the victims that were affected, and the victims themselves, deserve to have their stories heard and remembered.

This timeline highlights the unsolved cases of The Highway of Tears.

  • 1969

    Williams Lake

    Gloria Moody

    Gloria went out one night with her brother only to disappear behind him on their way home.  Read more.

  • 1970

    Hudson's Hope

    Micheline Pare

    Micheline was 18 years old when she went missing along Highway 16.  Read more.

  • 1970

    Prince George

    Helen Claire Frost

    Helen disappeared just four days before her 18th birthday. She was last seen leaving the apartment she shared with her sister, telling her sister she wanted to go for a quick walk. She never returned home.

  • 1971

    Gitsegukla

    Jean Virginia Sampare

    Jean was last seen hanging out with her cousin on the railroad overpass on Highway 16.  Read more.

  • 1974

    Thornhill

    Monica Ignas

    Monica was 14 years old and was last seen walking along Highway 16 in the direction of her house.  Read more.

  • 1978

    Prince Rupert

    Mary Jane Hill

    Mary Jane Hill was 31 years old and a mother of three. Her body was found nude along Highway 16 and her death was deemed to be from bronchitis and bronchopneumonia as a result of manslaughter.

  • 1989

    Prince George

    The Jack Family

    Doreen Jack and her husband Ronald were offered jobs at a logging camp from an unknown man. The struggling family of four accepted the job and ride the man offered. The family was last seen at 1:20am that night leaving with the man in his car.

  • 1989

    Prince Rupert

    Alberta Williams

    Alberta Williams was 24 years old when she was last seen leaving a bar in Prince Rupert.  Read more.

  • 1990

    Smithers

    Delphine Nikal

    Delphine Nikal was last seen leaving her group of friends one night to head home, but never made it back.  Read more.

  • 1994

    Smithers

    Ramona Wilson

    Ramona Wilson was last seen on a Saturday night leaving her house to meet friends for a night out. No one has seen her since.  Read more.

  • 1994

    Prince George

    Roxanne Thiara

    Roxanne was 15 years old when she disappeared from Prince George on a long weekend in July.  Read more.

  • 1994

    Prince George

    Alisha Germaine

    15-year-old Alishia Germaine was last seen leaving a Christmas party in Prince Rupert.  Read more.

  • 1995

    Terrace

    Lana Patricia Derrick

    Lana Patricia Derrick came home from college for Thanksgiving, but mysteriously disappeared after a night out.  Read more.

  • 2002

    Prince George

    Nicole Hoar

    Nicole was working as a tree planter and was last seen at a gas station on Highway 16, hitchhiking from Prince George to Smithers.

  • 2004

    Prince Rupert

    Kayla Rose McKay

    Kayla was 13 years old when she went missing from Prince Rupert. Her body was found two days later near train tracks on a waterfront on George Hills Way.

  • 2004

    Fraser Lake

    Margaret Nooski

    Maragret was 89 years old when she went missing and was last seen hitchhiking on Highway 16. Police believe she may have been trying to get to Prince George, or headed into the bush in search of trapping territory.

  • 2005

    Prince Rupert

    Tamara Chipman

    Tamara was a young mother who disappeared after hitchhiking from Prince Rupert to Terrace in 2015.  Read more.

  • 2005

    Prince George

    Mary Madeline George

    Mary was last seen in the evening of July 24, 2005 at 6pm. She was walking from Ospika Blvd. to the Spruceland Mall Walk-in Clinic.

  • 2006

    Prince George

    Aielah Katerina Saric-Auger

    Aielah Saric-Auger was 14 years old when she went missing and was last seen along Highway 16.  Read more.

  • 2007

    Vanderhoof

    Bonnie Marie Joseph

    Bonnie was a mother of five and was last seen hitchhiking from Vanderhoof to Prince George to attend a court date. She missed the appointment and was not heard from again. Her wallet, ID, and an uncashed cheque were found near a lake.

  • 2010

    Prince Rupert

    Emmalee Rose Mclean

    Emma was 16 years old when she was last seen out with a group of people the night before she went missing. Her body was discovered along the Prince Rupert waterfront.

  • 2013

    Tachie

    Immaculate "Mackie" Basil

    Mackie was last seen at a party in a cabin with two men before she went missing.  Read more.

  • 2014

    Prince George

    Anita Florence Thorne

    Anita was last seen at a gas station, her car was found the next day near Highway 16.  Read more.

  • 2017

    Smithers

    Frances Brown

    Frances was last seen picking mushrooms with a companion, an activity she did every year. She was raised by a trapper and an experienced back country explorer, which made this disappearance unusual. Despite search efforts she was never seen again.

  • 2018

    Terrace

    Chantelle Catherine Simpson

    Chantelle was 34 years old when she was reported missing after leaving her home on July 4th. Her abandoned car was found next to a gravel pit the next day. Days later her body was found in the Skeena River by a train conductor who was passing by.

  • 2018

    Smithers

    Jessica Patrick Balczer

    Jessica was 18 years old when she dropped off her daughter with her grandmother for the night but never returned to pick her up.  Read more.

  • 2018

    New Hazelton

    Cynthia Martin

    Cynthia was last seen leaving her mother's house one evening. She was never seen or heard from again.  Read more.