RCMP didn't "suspect foul play" for 10 days

From lisamarieyoung.ca
“Nothing's come up that
would suggest foul play,
we just don't know
where she is.”
—Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Murray Conway
July 4, 2002

Summary

Lisa had been missing 10 days before RCMP conceded that she may have met with foul play.

Detail

"Sure enough it's Lisa on her cell phone", said Hulley at the time. "She goes 'Dallas, I don't know what's going on. This guy won't bring me back. We're sitting in a driveway on Bowen Road and he won't bring me back.' She says, 'I'm bored. I'm getting pissed off." Police believe Young met with foul play and are still investigating her disappearance. I want to bash my knuckles against the cement, Hulley said in 2002."
Dallas Hulley interview recorded August 2002.
CHEK News, Mar 26, 2018 (Kendall Hanson)[1] (video)
Nothing's come up that would suggest foul play, we just don't know where she is. Const. Murray Conway
Nanaimo Daily News, July 4, 2002 (Paul Walton)[2]

Lisa's family and friends were immediately worried that something had happened to Lisa, and their reasons to worry compounded as each day passed with no visible RCMP investigation underway.



Reasons to suspect foul play

See also: Reasons to suspect foul play

Monday July 1st

  • Failed to show up for plans with her father[3] and friends[4] to move her into her new apartment[5]
  • Calls were going straight to voicemail[2] (she always ensured her phone was charged)[6]
  • This was uncharacteristic for Lisa[7] (normally she was very responsible)[8]
  • None of Lisa's many friends knew her current whereabouts[9]
  • Some said they saw her with an unknown man driving a Jaguar[10]
  • Final call from Lisa: He won't bring me back...[11]
  • Final text from Lisa: They won't let me leave...[12]

Tuesday July 2nd

  • Failed to show up for her 1st day at a new job[13] (where she'd pushed for a sooner start date)[14]

Lisa's final call

chilling last text message Come get me, they won't let me leave.
Toronto Star, August 6, 2016 (Verity Stevenson)[15]
Lisa's family have also begun their own search.
Nanaimo Daily News, July 5, 2002 (Paul Walton)[16]

Lisa's final phone call was a message to her friend Dallas (who'd been waiting at the Cathers Lake houseparty for Lisa to return): "I don't know what's going on... We're sitting in a driveway on Bowen Road and this guy won't bring me back."[15][1]
See also: Lisa's last phone call



Lisa's final text message

[Lisa's dad,] a Purolator driver, has the co-operation of his co-workers are now distributing posters bearing Lisa's picture throughout the Island.
Nanaimo Daily News, July 5, 2002 (Paul Walton)[16]
Police suspect foul play
RCMP didn't suspect foul play until Lisa was missing 10 days. Alberni Valley Times, July 11, 2002[17]

Lisa's final text message to Dallas at 4:30am read, "Come get me, they won't let me leave."[18] Some might consider details like these to be sufficient reason for RCMP investigators to "suspect foul play".


See also: Lisa's last text message



See also


Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Andy Neal, CHEK News (Mar 26, 2018), Man dies after being struck by a vehicle in Nanaimo Sunday (source)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 4, 2002), Parents fear daughter the victim of foul play (src)
  3. Jim Gibson, Calgary Herald (Apr 18, 2004), Lisa Marie Young: Vanished (source)
  4. Jason Proctor, Vancouver Province (Sep 2, 2002), Where is Lisa-Marie? (source)
  5. Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (Apr 25, 2006), Four years, still no answers (source)
  6. Denise Titian, Ha-Shilth-Sa (May 15, 2012), Family seeks closure 10 years after daughter's disappearance (source)
  7. Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 9, 2002), RCMP keep searching for woman (source)
  8. Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (Nov 4, 2002), City police continue search for Lisa Young (source)
  9. Jolene Rudisuela, Capital Daily (May 5, 2021), More people go missing in BC than anywhere else in Canada. No one knows why (source)
  10. Jason Proctor, Vancouver Province (Sep 15, 2002), RCMP continue to search for missing Nanaimo woman (source)
  11. Skye Ryan, CHEK News (May 5, 2021), 'Today's a very hard day': Family of missing woman Lisa Marie Young marks her 40th birthday (source)
  12. Alexandra Mehl, CTV News (June 27, 2023), We all just want answers': It's been 21 years since Lisa Marie Young disappeared from Nanaimo (source)
  13. Jim Gibson, Star Phoenix (May 15, 2004), Vanished (source)
  14. This information was obtained first-hand by the author. ✎ Sworn declaration can be provided as needed.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Verity Stevenson, Toronto Star (Aug 6, 2016), Inquiry brings back memories of Nanaimo woman missing since 2002 (source)
  16. 16.0 16.1 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 5, 2002), City woman's whereabouts still unknown (source)
  17. Alberni Valley Times (July 11, 2002), Police suspect foul play (source)
  18. Eric Plummer, Ha-Shilth-Sa (July 2, 2021), "Bring peace to Lisa": Investigators seek missing link (source)