The Highway of Tears is an isolated 725-kilometer stretch of Highway 16 in British Columbia which has been the location of many unsolved murders and disappearances of women beginning as early as 1969.

The Canadian Encyclopedia

1969

Williams Lake

Gloria Moody

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

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Gloria Moody

1970

Hudson's Hope

Micheline Pare

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

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Micheline Pare

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. 

Helen Claire Frost

1971

Gitsegukla

Jean Virginia Sampare

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

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Jean Virginia Sampare

1973

Kamloops

Pamela Darlington

Pamela was 19 years old when she went missing, she was last seen in a bar in Kamloops. Her body was found the next day in a park. She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. 

Pamela Darlington

1973

Clearwater

Gale Weys

Gale Weys was 19 years old when she was last seen trying to get a ride to her parent's house. 

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Gale Weys

1974

Lac la Hache

Colleen MacMillen

Colleen was 16 years old when she disappeared hitchhiking to a friend's house. Her remains were found one month later. In 2012, with advancements in DNA technology the RCMP announced Bobby Jack Fowler as a suspect in her killing. 

Colleen MacMillen

1974

Thornhill

Monica Ignas

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

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Monica Ignas

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. 

Mary Jane Hill

1989

Prince Rupert

Alberta Williams

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

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Alberta Williams

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. 

The Jack Family

1990

Smithers

Delphine Nikal

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

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Delphine Nikal

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. 

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 Ramona Wilson

1994

Prince George

Roxanne Thiara

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

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Roxanne Thiara

1994

Prince George

Alisha Germaine

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

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Alisha Germaine

1995

Terrace

Lana Patricia Derrick

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

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Lana Patricia Derrick

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. 

Nicole Hoar

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. 

Kayla Rose McKay

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. 

Margaret Nooski

2005

Prince Rupert

Tamara Chipman

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

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Tamara Chipman

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. 

Mary Madeline George

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.  

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Aielah Katerina Saric-Auger

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. 

Bonnie Marie Joseph

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. 

Emmalee Rose Mclean

2013

Tachie

Immaculate "Mackie" Basil

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

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Immaculate "Mackie" Basil

2014

Prince George

Anita Florence Thorne

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

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Anita Florence Thorne

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. 

Frances Brown

2018

Terrace

Chantelle Catherine Simpson

Chantelle was 34 years old when she went 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. 

Chantelle Catherine Simpson

2018

New Hazelton

Cynthia Martin

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

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Cynthia Martin

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.  

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Jessica Patrick Balczer

2023

Vanderhoof

Chelsey Quaw

Chelsey was 29 years old and was last seen leaving her father's house in the early morning. She never returned home. 

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Chelsey Quaw