Nanaimo Daily News - Apr 25, 2006

Summary

Nanaimo Daily News: Tue Apr 25, 2006 (Paul Walton) Four years, still no answers

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Four years, still no answers

Lisa Marie Young's 25th birthday is May 5, but no one will be celebrating.

The Nanaimo woman disappeared on the Canada Day long weekend in 2002 and has not be heard from since. Young is officially a missing person and police have said they suspect foul play.

The case remains one of Nanaimo's most notorious unsolved crimes.

"After four years, it's really hard," said Carolann Hunt, who was a foster sister to Young.

While Young is remembered at the usual times — Christmas, her birthday, the date of her disappearance — Hunt said special events also bring home the emptiness that Young's disappearance has left in many lives. She said Young would have wanted to celebrate the birth of a niece last year.

"It's so hard for your heart, it's overshadowed after a while," said Hunt.

Young was last seen leaving a downtown Nanaimo nightclub club in a vehicle in the early hours of June 29, 2002*. When she did not return home Sunday or the holiday Monday, when her father was to help her move, police were called. Young was also scheduled to start a new job that week.

By mid-July, serious crimes investigators were in the midst of an intense investigation. Staff Sgt. Randy Munro, head of the Nanaimo RCMP serious crimes unit, said the investigation continues. He could say no more.

"Anything that comes to our attention province-wide, we're following up," said Munro. "So far, there's been nothing."

Hunt also believes Young was a victim of foul play.

"I think something really wrong happened. I think she has passed on by now," said Hunt. "She made the wrong decision or was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person."

She knows the police have been doing what they can.

"It's been so long. I guess the evidence went so far and there's nothing they can do."

But she knows that someone knows something. They can only wait until that person decides to do the right thing.

"Someone cannot go missing without someone knowing something, somewhere," said Hunt.

Until that information is provided, those close to Young can neither grieve nor understand.

"The sad fact is it could have been anybody," said Hunt. "My feeling is that whoever is involved in this is still walking free."

An event to remember Young on her birthday was held Saturday at Swy-a-Lana Lagoon.

Anyone with information can call police or they can call Crime Stoppers anonymously. Crime Stoppers guarantees permanent anonymity and pays up to $2,000 for tips leading to an arrest.

[PWalton@nanaimodailynews.com]