Email:
waabzy1@yahoo.com
As of Dec.11,2002 There are 62 women listed as missing from Vancouver's
Downtown Eastside district , all believed to be murder victims.
If you would like to add a candle with the information of a loved one of yours
missing from Vancouver's downtown Eastside not, yet on this list please send me
email and i will add the information on this page.
As each of these women are found and returned home for proper burial, a heart
will be placed on the other side of their pictures.
UPDATE
To date Robert ( Willie ) Pickton, of Port Coquitilam BC has been charged with
11 counts of first degree murder involving the deaths of the women who have a
heart next to their names.
1.
Jacqueline Michelle McDonell
, DOB Jan. 6,1976
(23). White female, 5 foot 6 inches (168 cm), 110 pounds (50 kg), short blonde
hair, blue eyes. McDonell is a known sex trade worker and a known drug user.
She was last seen in mid January 1999.
A local social worker who knew Jacquelene, says
"It was tragic."
She recalls when she found out Jackie disappeared.
"She was young, was articulate, she was nice, she was 21-years-old, had a son,
was kind of tripping on her drugs, she was too good for this place."
Like the others, Jackie's existence on earth was surrounded by tragedy.
"Their forearms are solidly scared with cigarette burns and deep cut marks,"
she says of the women she mothers at her center.
"They're signs of being extremely abused from a young age. They have to
self-mutilate because the pain in their head is so bad, those are the one's
that are going missing."
UPDATE
Jacqueline was identified as murdered sometime between January 21, 1999 and
Feb., 2002. Robert ( Willie ) Pickton, 52, of Port Coquitilan has been charged.
REST IN PEACE JACQUELINE
2.
Marcella Helen Frances Creison
,DOB June 2,1978
(20). White female, 5 foot 4 inches (163 cm), 120pounds (54 kg), light brown
hair, brown eyes. Marcella is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side. Disappeared December 27,1998 at 1 or 2 o'clock in the
morning around the corner from the Drake Hotel.
Her boyfriend was waiting for her at her moms and she still had Christmas
presents she hadn't even opened.
3.
Sarah Jean deVries
, 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 was born in 1969 and put up for adoption before she was a year old. She
was the youngest of four children, growing up in a middle class neighbourhood.
Her father taught at the University of British Columbia and her mother worked
as a nurse at the Vancouver General Hospital.
A pretty girl with curly black hair, Sarah had a good sense of humour and an
infectious laugh.. From earliest childhood she was also very creative, always
hunched over a piece of paper writing or drawing. Her family loved her
sparkling personality.
Soon after her parents divorce, Sarah
began frequenting the streets when she was a teenager and became hooked on
heroin and cocaine. But even as her life became darker, and her options fewer,
she continued to sketch and keep notes in a diary. She also composed poems
about life in Downtown Eastside Vancouver. In one of her journal entries, Sarah
wrote:
"Will they remember me when I'm gone, or would their lives just carry on?"
While on the streets of Vancouver, Sarah had two children, a girl and then a
boy. They now live with their grandmother and great aunt in Ontario. Before she
went missing, Sarah had begun work on an alphabet book for her daughter
.
A poem from Sarah's diary
Woman's body found beaten be-
yond recognition
You sip your coffee
Taking a drag of your smoke
Turning the page
Taking a bite of your toast
Just another day
Just another death
Just one more thing you so easily forget
You and your soft, sheltered life
Just go on and on
For nobody special from your world is gone
Just another day
Just another death
Just another Hastings Street whore
Sentenced to death
The judge's gavel already fallen
Sentence already passed
But you
You just sip your coffee
Washing down your toast.
She was a broken down angel
A child lost with no place
A human being in disguise
She touched my life
She was somebody
She was no whore
She was somebody special
Who just lost her way
She was somebody fighting for life
Trying to survive
A lonely lost child who died
In the night, all alone, scared
Gasping for air. "
SARAH DEVRIES DNA FOUND ON PICKTON PIG FARM
Police visited the home of Maggie deVries late Tuesday ( AUG 6, 2002) afternoon
to say her sister Sarah's DNA had been found "on an object" at the farm.
The two constables did not say what the object was, or what the source of the
DNA was -- except that it was not blood, deVries said.
REST IN PEACE SARAH
4.
Sheila Catherine Egan
, DOB Aug. 4,1978
(21). White female, born 1978, 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm), 105 pounds (47kg),
blonde shoulder length hair, blue eyes. Is a known drug user and sex trade
worker in the downtown east side. Last seen July 1998.
5.
Michelle Gurney
, DOB Feb. 11,1969
(19). First Nations female, 5 foot 4 inches (162 cm), 100 pounds (45.4 kg),
long black hair, brown eyes. Gurney is a known drug addict and sex trade worker
in the downtown east side. Last seen December 1998.
6.
Inga Monique Hall
, DOB Jan. 25,1952
(46). White female, 5 foot 5 inches (165 cm), 135 pounds (61 kg), long brown
hair, green eyes. Hall is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side. Last seen February 1998.
UPDATE:OCTOBER 2, 2002
Today Robert ( Willie ) Pickton has been charged with first degree murder of
Inga.
REST IN PEACE INGA
7.
Angela Rebecca Jardine
, DOB June 23,1971 (27), drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared
November 1998. is 5 feet 5 inches tall, brown eyes, short brown hair.
"Our daughter Angela Rebecca Jardine was an adventurous, free spirited soul.
She had many special qualities that were not always visible from the outside.
Angela resided in the downtown eastside of Vancouver for almost eight years.
This small community had become her home and her friends had become her
extended family.
On November 20, 1998 Angela attended a meeting at Oppenheimer Park called " Out
of Harm's Way. She left the park between 3:30 - 4 p.m. Angela has not been seen
or heard from since. When Angela wasn't seen for 48 hours an extensive search
was conducted by various organizations, friends and street police.
Angela always kept in contact with her family. The last call I received was
Nov.10, 1998. Little did I know ten days later it would be the last time I
would ever speak to my daughter.
Angela has a family that loves and cares deeply for her. We will not be at
peace until we have closure. Angela will remain forever in our hearts.
Love Mom & Family"
UPDATE
OCT, 2002 ANGELA'S DNA WAS LOCATED AT THE PICKTON PIG FARM.
REST IN PEACE ANGELA
8.
Kerry Lynn Koski
, DOB Aug. 14,1959
(39). White female, 5 foot 3 inches (162cm), 90 pounds (40kg), shoulder
length blonde hair, green eyes, looked malnourished and was underweight. Koski
was a known drug user and sex trade worker in the down town east side. Last
seen January 1998.
9.
Julie Louise Young
, DOB July 17,1967
(31). White female, born 1967, 5 foot 4 inches (163 cm), 100 pounds (45 kg),
blonde brown hair, blue eyes. Young was last seen October 1998. She is a known
drug user and sex trade worker in the downtown east side.
10.
Cindy Louise Beck
, DOB April 17,1965
32). White female, 33 years, 5 foot 8 inches (173 cm), 110 pounds (49kg), long
auburn hair, brown eyes. Beck is a well drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side. Last seen approximatley September 1997.
UPDATE
CINDY's DNA WAS FOUND ON THE PICKTON PIG FARM. NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO LAY
CHARGES YET.
REST IN PEACE CINDY
11.
Andrea Fay Borhaven
, 27. White female, 170 cm (5'6") 54 kg (120 lbs), brown hair and hazel eyes.
Andrea was last seen in 1997 in the lowermainland. She was a mainland.sex trade
worker on the downtown east side, she is also a drug addict.
mother Margaret Kraft said she still doesn't know what sort of DNA
evidence the police found. She said they won't tell her.
Kraft said at first she didn't know whether to believe her daughter was
dead, so she phoned the coroner who is working on the case.
"He told me if someone called him and told him his daughter's DNA had been
found on the pig farm, he would assume she was dead," she said.
Police told Kraft they aren't ready to lay a charge based on the new
evidence, and Kraft said she was told prosecutors don't want to lay any more
charges against Pickton until his pretrial hearing begins because it might
delay the case.
12.
Marnie Lee Frey
, 24. White female, 25 years, 5 foot 8 inches (173 cm), 120 pounds (54 kg),
shoulder length brown hair, hazel eyes. Frey was originally reported missing in
Campbell River, but in fact disappeared in Vancouver.She is a known drug user
and sex trade worker in the downtown eastside area. Last seen in August 1997.
Step-mom Lynn Frey can still recall her daughter Marnie’s love for animals,
athletics, drawing and poetry. She describes Marnie as being a typical child
who liked climbing trees, horseback riding, and playing in her fort.
"She wasn’t afraid of anything,"
Frey said. She describes Marnie’s appearance- tall, thin, with olive skin and
dark brownish- black hair.
"She had a round face when she was healthy and was a very attractive girl,
Frey said quietly as she remembered her missing daughter.
"Street workers are treated like their garbage… to a majority of society they
are just bums. They don’t think they have families and are loved,"
said Frey. She used to go to Vancouver and look for her daughter on the
streets after she went missing. She always came home alone.
Marnie was just 24 when she disappeared from the Downtown Eastside. She began
getting involved in drugs while living at home in Campbell River, on Vancouver
Island. She began going to Vancouver and got involved in prostitution as a way
to pay for her drug habit. There were three times when she tried to stop doing
heroin: Marnie would tell her mom,
"I don’t like feeling this way. I need help,"
said Frey. She was not successful in getting treatment and her addition raged
on. The last time Marnie’s family spoke to her was in August of 1997 when she
called from a pay phone on Hastings Street in Vancouver.
UPDATE: Marnie's DNA has been identified as located at the Pickton farm.
REST IN PEACE MARNIE
13.
Helen Hallmark,
32. White female, 5 foot 5 inches (165 cm), 140 pounds (63 kg), long dark
blonde hair, hazel eyes. Hallmark is a known drug user and sex trade worker in
the downtown eastside and Mount Pleasant areas. Reported missing August 1997.
Helen's 16 year old sister writes,
"I am not saying that the government is responsible for the deaths of drug
addicts but I feel that the government hasn't done a whole lot to get them off
the streets. As for junkies taking responsibility for their actions, they have!
They have cried out for help countless times and no one listens."
UPDATE
MARCH 26, 2002. On Helens 3th birthday, her family were notified that her DNA
in the form of blood has been identified. Three other womens DNA has been
identified as well.
REST IN PEACE HELEN
14.
Janet Henry
, 37. First Nations female, 5 foot 3 inches (160cm),115 pounds (50kg), brown
hair, brown eyes, glasses. Henry is a known drug user and sex trade worker in
the downtown eastside area. Reported missing June 25,1997
On June 25, 1997 when Janet Henry stepped out of the Holborn Hotel and into
oblivion, she left her July rent pre-paid, $115 in her account at the nearby
bank.
Janet's daughter Debra, now 15 and living in Northern B.C. with her father. She
writes. "
Another year passes and still no trace of my mom. She won’t see me graduate and
she won’t be at my wedding…all the important stuff, she won’t be there. I hope
we can find my mom’s body. I wish we could find all the other women, too."
15.
Stephanie Marie Lane
, 23. Black/First Nations female, 20 years, 5 foot 4 inches (162 cm),115
pounds (51 kg), long black wavy hair, brown eyes. Lane is a known drug user and
sex trade worker in the area of the Patricia Hotel. Reported missing January
1997.
16.
Jacqueline Marie Murdock
, 28. First Nations female, born 1971, 5 feet 4 inches (163cm), 130 pounds
(58kg), black hair, brown eyes.Is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side area. Was originally reported missing in Prince George: last
seen August 1997.
17.
Tanya Marlo Holyk
, 24. First Nations female, 5 feet 6 inches (168cm), 115 pounds (52kg), long
black curly hair, brown eyes. Last seen in October 1996.
Cathy Hall, Tanya's sister writes:
"To my dear sister Tanya
You never stopped being a sister, no matter what you did in your life. I have
always loved you and always will. I wish you could come back to me and see your
neice and nephews. You are my angel cause your my only sister I've got. My
prayers are for you and the rest that are missing. I wish to God that your
alive and come back to me and your son. We need to be together. If someone or
something has taken you away from me, then I hope your resting in peace. I will
never understand why this is happening.
For those that are responsible for the disappreance of the ladies and my
sister, I don't understand why you have done this to them. We are all people
and life is very precious to everyone. You have no right in taken a loved one
and getting your thrills any way you want. You are the worst and most horrible
person that there is in the world. I hope you pay for everything that you have
done in to these women. You took my sister from her family and son, I hope and
pray to God that you go to HELL."
UPDATE: OCT 2, 2002
Today Robert ( Willie ) Pickton has been charged with first degree murder of
Tanya.
REST IN PEACE TANYA
18.
Olivia Gayle Williams
, 22. First Nations female, 5 foot 4 inches (153 cm), 125 pounds (55 kg), long
black hair, brown eyes. Williams is a known drug user and sex trade worker in
the downtown east side area. Last seen in December 1996 and reported missing in
July 1997.
19.
Catherine Gonzalez
, 30. White female, 5 foot 5 inches (165 cm), 120 pounds (54 kg),long light
brown hair, blue eyes.sex trade worker in the downtown east side area. Last
seen March 1995.
20.
Catherine Maureen Knight
, 32. White female, 5 foot 4 inches (163 cm), 100 pounds (45 kg), light brown
shoulder length hair in a shag cut, brown eyes Knight is a known drug user and
sex trade worker in the downtown east side area. Last seen in April 1995.
On May 5,1965, the day she was born, Cathy Knight's older sister was excited,
yet thought "another one".
Cathy was the youngest of nine children born to poor, alcoholic parents. She
and her sisters would sleep in the Goodwill donation boxes, to protect
themselves from
abuse in their homes.
It is not wonder that by the age of 14 Cathy was on the streets, seeking an
escape through the use of drugs. Before long she was forced to sell her body to
get the money to buy the drugs her body
hurt for.
From time to time she would try to get sober. Her aunt was in recovery and did
all she could to help her. As much as she wanted a better life, Cathy knew she
wasnt ready yet.
Cathy phoned her sister every month, often while under the influence, but
wanting her older sister to know she was ok.
Then shortly before her 29th birthday, the phone calls stopped.
21.
Diana Melnick
, 23. White female, 5 feet 2 inches (158cm), 100 pounds (45.4 kg), brown hair
usually in a ponytail, brown eyes. Last seen December 1995. Drug addicted and
worked in the sex trade.
22.
Dorothy Anne Spence,
36. First Nations female, 5 foot 6 inches (166 cm), 130 pounds (56 kg), long
black hair, brown eyes. Spence is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side. Last seen August 1995.
23.
Kathleen Dale Wattley
, 39. Black female, 39 years, 5 foot 2 inches (157 cm), 115pounds (52 kg),
black shoulder length hair, brown eyes. Wattley is a known drug user and sex
trade worker in the downtown east side. Last seen June 1992.
24.
Ingrid Soet
, 30. White female, born 1959, 5 foot 7 inches (170 cm), 110pounds (49 kg),
medium blond hair, blue eyes. Soet has some mental health issues, was a known
drug user. She was living in the downtown east side when she disappeared. Last
seen in August 1989 and reported missing in December 1990.
25.
Teressa Williams,
16. First Nations female, born 1973, 5 foot 4 inches (163 cm) 115 pounds (50
kg), long black hair, brown eyes. Williams is a know drug user and sex trade
worker in the downtown east side area. Last seen in July 1988 and reported
missing in March 1999.
26.
Elaine Allenbach
, 33, aka LISA MORRISON, when in Vancouver. She also occasionally used the
alias Nancy Boyd. White female, 33 years, 5 foot 6 inches (168 cm), 135 pounds
(61 kg), dark brownshoulder length hair, brown eyes, faint acne scars on both
cheeks.Allenbach is a know sex trade worker and last seen March 1986 when she
was supposedly going to leave for Seattle.
Elaines sister believes that Elaine, a prostitute, may have been murdered after
working aboard a ship. One of Elaine’s regulars was a Chinese businessman who
would hire her along with other women for a night aboard a ship. What she saw
on the ship was "horrifying enough to scare her into leaving" the sex trade and
the city.
"It was a huge paying job,But she’d taken a bunch of photographs of the men
with their girls which were in her Vancouver apartment and another girl stole
them along with her diary."
Despite concrete plans to return to Washington state, Elaine vanished on 13
March 1985.
27.
Sherry Lynne Rail
,28. Sherry had a tattoo of a butterfly on her left shoulder blade. White
female, born 1956, 5 feet 4 inches (163cm), 120 pounds (954kg), long light
brown hair, green eyes. Sherry is a known drug user and sex trade worker in the
downtown east side. Last seen in January 1984 and reported missing in January
1987.
28.
Leigh Miner,
34, was drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Leigh phoned her sister on
Dec. 17, 1993 to ask for money. That was the last time her family heard from
Leigh who was
drug addicted and worked in the sex trade.
29.
Frances Ann Young
. White female, 38 years, 5 foot 4 inches, (162 cm), 110 pounds (49kgs), long
curly auburn hair, blue eyes. She was a chef by trade, and drug addicted.
Frances was last seen April 1996 leaving her residence, on the west side of
Vancouver to go for a walk. She was suffering from depression at the time of
her disappearance.
30.
Sereena Abbotsway
, 29, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared August 2001.
UPDATE: IDENTIFIED AS MURDERED AT PICKTON PIG FARM
Once a month, Sereena Abotsway's foster parents would travel from Surrey to
downtown Vancouver to visit and buy her dinner. It wasn't a pretty affair. Ms.
Abotsway, a drug-addicted prostitute, would order an expensive steak, then
struggle to chew it with her few remaining teeth.
Five years ago, she was beaten into a coma by a man she refused to identify.
Her foster parents, Bert and Anna Draayers, kept a hospital vigil, and
eventually she recovered.
But there was no happy ending for the troubled, dark-haired woman who arrived
at the Draayers's house at age 4.
Last August, when she was 29, she stopped calling home. The Draayers, who had
been planning a 30th birthday dinner, feared the worst. Until then, Ms.
Abotsway had been calling nearly every day to talk about the dinner.
When police arrived at the Draayers's home to tell them Ms. Abotsway had been
killed, the family was devastated.
REST IN PEACE SEREENA
31.
Andrea Joesbury
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared June 2001.
UPDATE, APRIL 9, 2002
Andrea has been identified as murdered. Today Robert ( Willy ) Pickton, 52 of
Port Coquitilam, has been charged with murder.
REST IN PEACE ANDREA
32.
Heather Chinnock
,drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared April 2001.
UPDATE: OCTOBER 2, 2002
Today Robert ( Willie ) Pickton has been charged with the first degree murder
of Heather.
REST IN PEACE HEATHER
33.
Patricia Johnson
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade.
She has two tattoos on the left side of her back, each being a rose with the
names of her children in each. (Eric and Autumn). Disappeared March 2001.
UPDATE - MARCH 26, 2002.
Patricia's family were notified that her DNA in the form of blood has been
identified. First degree murder charge laid against Pickton.
REST IN PEACE PATRICIA
34.
Dawn Crey
, drug addicted. Former sex trade worker. Disappeared in November, 2000.
35.
Debra Jones
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 2000.
36.
Georgina Papin
, drug addicted and worked as an Outreach worker and sex trade worker.
Disappeared in 1999.
UPDATE SEPT. 17, 2002 - GEORGINA'S DNA HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THE PICKTON FARM
IN PORT COQUITILAM BC. CHARGES PENDING.
REST IN PEACE GEORGINA
37.
Brenda Wolfe
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1999.
UPDATE MAY 22, 2002, IDENTIFIED AS MURDERED. ROBERT ( WILLIE) PICKTON OF PORT
COQUITLAM, BC HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH BRENDA'S MURDER.
REST IN PEACE, BRENDA
38.
Jennifer Furminger
, 28, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1999.
The last time Noel Paris saw Jennie Furminger, she was standing near the corner
of Cordova and Dunlevy on a cold night two days after Christmas.
Paris gave her a key to their building. Jen, a prostitute and his live-in
girlfriend, was always losing keys.
As he walked off, a police car rolled up. Over the car’s loudspeaker, a voice
said,
"Good evening, Jennie. How are you?"
Paris kept walking, but glanced back to make sure nothing went wrong. If the
cops searched Furminger and found drugs, they could arrest her for possession.
He saw Jennie talking with the police, but nothing seemed amiss.
Paris walked a little further, cutting across Pigeon Park towards their hotel,
then turned back again. This time, a building cut off his sightline; he
couldn’t tell if she was still with the police car.
But closer by, on Cordova Street, he saw a girl leaning in towards a car pulled
to the side of the road. Though it was too dark to identify the woman, Paris
assumed it was Furminger because he hadn’t seen any other working girls in the
area. When he looked back a few moments later, the car and the girl were gone.
Jennifer has been remembered by friends on the street as a warm woman.She
rarely shared the stories of her unhappy childhood, of the family she left
behind.
She was very feminine and playful and she was very, very mellow. Jennie’s idea
of a good time was to sit cross-legged on the couch and read a book.
She will always be remembered as the girl who literally gave birth to her son
on the corner.
UPDATE
Jennifer's DNA has been identified at the pig farm. Pickton has been charged
with first degree murder.
REST IN PEACE JEN
39.
Wendy Crawford
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1999.
40.
Sherry Irving
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1997.
UPDATE: OCT 2, 2002
Today Robert ( Willie ) Pickton has been charged with the first degree murder
of Sherry.
REST IN PEASE SHERRY
41.
Cindy Feliks
,aged 43, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1997.
UPDATE DEC 2, 2002
CINDY's DNA HAS BEEN NIDENTIFIED N THE PICKTON FARM. NO CHARGES YET.mother
Margaret Kraft said she still doesn't know what sort of DNA
evidence the police found. She said they won't tell her.
Kraft said at first she didn't know whether to believe her daughter was
dead, so she phoned the coroner who is working on the case.
"He told me if someone called him and told him his daughter's DNA had been
found on the pig farm, he would assume she was dead," she said.
Police told Kraft they aren't ready to lay a charge based on the new
evidence, and Kraft said she was told prosecutors don't want to lay any more
charges against Pickton until his pretrial hearing begins because it might
delay the case.
REST IN PEACE CINDY
42.
Angela Arseneault
, 17, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen in 1994.
43.
Elsie Sebastien
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1992.
PICTURE UNAVAILABLE
44.
Nancy Clark aka Nancy Greek,
25. Nancy was last seen in Victoria in 1991.
According to Victoria police Sergeant Don Bland, Greek did not have a
connection to Vancouver, but was a sex trade worker in the capital and was last
seen about midnight on Aug. 22, 1991 at the corner of Broughton and Gordon
streets in Victoria.
Greek, 25 at the time, failed to return home the next day to look after her two
daughters, aged eight years and eight months.
"It was the birthday of her child that day, and for a sex street worker she was
a bit of a home-body. That's what was very suspicious at the start, because she
would never have done that."
45.
Laura Mah
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Disappeared in 1985.
46.
Rebecca Guno
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen June 22, 1983.
Rebecca was the first woman to be put on the list.
47.
Heather Bottomley
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen April 17, 2001.
UPDATE
Heather has been identified as murdered sometime between
arch 21, 2001 and February, 2002. Robert ( Willie ) Pickton, 52 of Port
Coquitilan has been charged with murder.
REST IN PEACE HEATHER
48.
Mona Wilson
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen November 23, 2001.
UPDATE: IDENTIFIED AS FOUND MURDERED AT PICKTON PIG FARM
Her sister describes Mona as the dreamer of the family, the baby of five
siblings and the one who still believed in unicorns.
"We always spent Christmas together as a family and when there was nothing, I
knew something was wrong."
A worker in the Downtown Eastside at a drop-in centre for sex trade workers
described Mona as a very sweet young woman who had struggled to deal with a lot
of violence in her life and a serious drug problem.
She said Mona had wanted to get off drugs but had been unable to get into a
treatment centre because there are so few spaces available for women.
"She would say 'I am ready. Please help me.' But there was nothing."
Mona's former teacher told The Sun recently that the young woman was hoping to
turn her life around four years ago, when she took a course to help troubled
young people find work.
A former teacher also recalled that Mona struggled to overcome a troubled past
that included abuse. She was already living in the Downtown Eastside and was in
the sex trade when she was in the program at a neighbourhood house in east
Vancouver.
"Really, the odds were against her," the teacher said. "I remember her talking
about having nightmares."
Mona's common law husband, described her as an intelligent, beautiful woman.
"She didn't deserve this."
He said Mona had worked as a prostitute on the Downtown Eastside to feed an
addiction to heroin.
"She didn't want me to control her, so I said, okay, fine, I'll spot for you.
Anytime you go out I'm coming and I looked every bastard in the eye when she
got in a car and I made sure they knew I knew who they were.
"I told her, the reason you're alive is because I'm here. If I wasn't here,
you'd be dead. There's 40 girls missing right now, you'd be number 20 or
something.
"And sure enough, she ended up number 50.
"The addiction to the heroin ... overcomes the fear of being murdered -- that's
what she told me."
Last Nov. 23, as the couple left the Astoria Hotel on East Hastings Street,
they were accosted by two men
"who drove up flashing fifties and beer at her," said Rix. "I had a gut feeling
that this was bad, and I said, 'Mona don't go.' I tried to stop her but then
one of the guys jumped out and came after me with a stick. She jumped in the
car, they honked the horn and took off.
"I never saw her again, and we had a deal that if she was going to be away for
more than a night, she'd tell me or else she'd call."
REST IN PEACE MONA
49.
Diane Rock
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen October 19, 2001.
UPDATE
Diane has been identified as murdered sometime between October 19, 2001 and
February, 2002. Robert ( Willie ) Picton, 52 of Port Coquitilan has been
charged.
REST IN PEACE DIANE
PICTURE UNAVAILABLE
50.
Elaine Dumba
, drug addicted and worked in the sex trade. Last seen 1989.
51.
RUBY ANNE HARDY aka RUBY GALLOWAY
, aged 37, born on March 23, 1965. Ms. Hardy was last seen in 1998 and was
reported missing to Vancouver police yesterday, March 27th, 2002. She is
described as being 5 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing 131 pounds, having brown
hair and eyes and being Native Indian..
52.
TIFFANY LOUISE DREW
, aged 27, and born on January 31, 1975. Ms. Drew was last seen on December
31, 1999. She was reported missing to Vancouver police on February 8th, 2002.
Ms. Drew is described as being 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 95 pounds, and
having long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. She is Caucasian.
UPDATE
JUNE14,2003 (Vancouver Sun ) Missing Women's Task Force have Identified
Tiffany's DNA as being found on the Pickton Farm. Tiffany is assumed dead.
REST IN PEACE
53.
MARIA LORNA LALIBERTE aka KIM KELLER
,aged 52, born November 7th, 1949. She was last seen on January 1st, 1997 and
reported missing to Vancouver police on March 8th, 2002. Ms. Laliberte is
described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, has brown hair, brown eyes and is
Native Indian. She had pain in legs, (Knees).
She may have attended Simon Fraser University in March, 1995.
ALIASES INCLUDE: Maria LAURA Laliberte, Maria Laura, Maria Lorna, Kim Keller,
Rose Mallette.
Her birthdate has also been published as July 11, 1948.
Anyone with any information, Please contact
Egerton Gibson
or the Missing Women's Joint Task Force.
54.
YVONNE MARIE BOEN aka ENGLAND
,age 34, born on November 30, 1967. Ms. Boen was last seen on March 16, 2001
and reported missing to Surrey RCMP on March 21st, 2001. She is described as
being 5 feet, 10 inches tall, having blonde hair and blue eyes, and being
Caucasian.
55.
LINDA LOUISE GRANT
,born March 18th, 1953. Linda was last seen in October of 1984 and reported
missing on February 2nd, 1996. Linda is Caucasian and when last seen was 5
feet, 2 inches tall, 171 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
56.
RICHARD "KELLIE" LITTLE
, born March 12th, 1969. Richard – or Kellie – was last seen on April 23d, 1997
and reported missing on April 30th, 1997. Kellie is an aboriginal transsexual.
When last seen Kellie was 5 feet, 3 inches tall, weighed 119 pounds, and had
light brown hair and brown eyes. Richard, also known as Kellie, has a
noticeable cleft palate.
57.
COLLEEN EMERY
. LOCATED ALIVE AND WELL. DID NOT KNOW SHE WAS ON THE MISSING WOMEN's LIST.
58.
TERESA LOUISE TRIFF
, born August 17th, 1969. Teresa was last seen on April 15th, 1993 and reported
missing on March 21st, 2002. Teresa is Caucasian. When last seen she was 5
feet, 2 inches tall, weighed 111 pounds and had blonde curly hair and blue
eyes.
59.
WENDY LOUISE ALLEN
,born December 10th, 1945. Louise was last seen on March 30th, 1979 and
reported missing on April 5th, 2002. Louise is Caucasian and when last seen was
5 feet, six inches tall, 162 pounds, and had long brown hair and blue eyes.
60.
YVONNE MARLENE ABIGOSIS
, born November 23d, 1957, last seen on nuary 1st, 1984 and reported missing on
May 22nd, 2002. Yvonne is aboriginal and when last seen was 5 feet, six inches
tall, weighed 120 pounds, had long wavy black hair, and brown eyes.
61.
SHERYL DONAHUE
, born July 4th, 1963. Sheryl was last seen on May 30th, 1985 and reported
missing on August 31st, 1985. Sheryl is Caucasian and when last seen was 5 feet
4 inches tall, 166 pounds, had long blond hair and blue eyes.
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE
62.
LILLIAN JEAN O'DARE
, born January 8th, 1944. Lillian was last seen on September 12th, 1978 and
reported missing on the same day. Lillian is Caucasian and when last seen was 5
feet, 6 inches tall, of average build, with short reddish blonde hair.
Police are hoping to not only gain information about the whereabouts of Lillian
but to contact any family member or relative even if they have no information
about her.
PETITION TO CANADIAN GOVERNMENT RE THE LACK OF INVESTIGATION INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE / MURDERS OF FIRST NATIONS WOMEN
Toronto Star article Nov. 30, 2002
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