Highway of Tears case: Death of B.C. woman investigated as possible victim of serial killer remains unsolved
It's a mystery that remains unsolved nearly three decades later: What exactly happened to Roxanne Thiara?
Police say "there is no such thing as a cold case," and this week, a local division of Crime Stoppers made an attempt to bring in fresh leads Tuesday.
The young woman is one of several in British Columbia believed to have met their end on a notorious stretch of roadway dubbed the "Highway of Tears."
Police say "there is no such thing as a cold case," and this week, a local division of Crime Stoppers made an attempt to bring in fresh leads.
Thiara's remains were found in August 1994 on Highway 16, between Prince George and Prince Rupert.
The 725-kilometre section of highway has also been tied to many cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Thiara was one of more than a dozen women whose deaths were examined by an RCMP task force ordered to look into the possibility that a serial killer, or more than one killer, was active in the province.
The investigation involving the women who were killed along major highways was called Project E-PANA, named for the Inuit word "Pana," describing the spirit goddess who looks after souls before they go on to heaven or are re-incarnated.
It started with the cases of nine women, and soon grew to 18, most of whom are believed to be homicide victims. Five could not be found.
The victims were all female, and were either hitchhiking or engaged in something else the RCMP deemed to be "high-risk behaviour." They were all last seen, or their remains were found, near three B.C. highways between 1969 and 2006
In addition to Highway 16, highways 97 and 5 were also included.
Police said the initial years of investigation determined that a single serial killer was not responsible for all of the 18 deaths and disappearances.
At the time of the latest update, in 2012, there were still 50 investigators and support staff working to solve the cases of the missing and murdered women.
Some remain unsolved to this day, including that of Thiara.
In an attempt to encourage tips, CrimeStoppers is reminding the public that it is an option for those who, for various reasons, don't want to speak to police or don't want to be tied to the case.
"We'll get your information to the police without revealing who you are," CSCO wrote in a Facebook post that included a photo of the missing woman.
Tips can be made to CSCO at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
The post doesn't mention a possible payout, but the non-profit's website says it pays rewards of up to $2,000 for tips that lead to charges or an arrest.
CTV News has reached out to the RCMP for more information on Thiara and her case. This article will be updated if additional information is made available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.