CHEK News - June 26, 2021

Summary

CHEK News: June 26, 2021 (Kendall Hanson/Nicholas Pescod) "Nanaimo RCMP plead for more information regarding disappearance of Lisa Marie Young"

source: https://cheknews.ca/nanaimo-rcmp-to-hold-update-on-lisa-marie-young-missing-person-827799
clip: https://lisamarieyoung.ca/video/chek/cn20210626.mp4
archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20210626183427/https://www.cheknews.ca/nanaimo-rcmp-to-hold-update-on-lisa-marie-young-missing-person-827799/
[Reproduced under Copyright Act (Canada) s.29.2 — Fair Dealing for the purpose of news reporting]

Video transcript

Despite the heat, nearly 100 people gathered at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment to mark a sombre anniversary. It's been 19 years since 21 year old Lisa Young went missing, and today something that hasn't happened in years: an RCMP news conference about the investigation.

Cpl. Markus Muntener: "We have completed numerous searches in the last year to try and find Lisa, and that's based on new information coming in and based on historic information, and those searches were extensive and detailed, and we have more of those searches planned in the future."

Among them, a search of this Nanaimo Lakes Road property in December, a home police believe is connected with Lisa Young's disappearance on June 30, 2002, after leaving a party with a man in a Jaguar.

Police say they are also hearing from witnesses who have never spoken to officers about the case before.

Cpl. Markus Muntener: "And it took great courage for those people to come forward and provide us statements and provide information that is credible and important for the investigation."

RCMP and Young's family are also appealing to others who may have crucial information to step forward.

Cst. Hailey Pinfold: "Whether it be a small piece of information, or they spoke to the police 18 years ago and they feel like they still have that piece of information, we're just asking that people come talk to us."

Carol Frank: "Help us bring Lisa home, if you could please come forward and bring peace to Lisa and our family."

The organizer of today's march says she's buoyed by the police update.

Cyndy Hall: "This brings a lot more attention to the file. I think people will watch this and realize that they can come forward with new information, and they're not alone."

The march ended at Maffeo-Sutton Park with a performance by a group bringing attention to Canada's missing and murdered indigenous women, a list of 4,000 from the past 30 years in Canada, that includes Lisa Young.

Article from website

Nanaimo RCMP plead for more information regarding disappearance of Lisa Marie Young

Nanaimo RCMP continue to plead with the public for more information regarding the disappearance of a woman who went missing almost 19 years ago.

Lisa Marie Young, then 21, went missing on June 30, 2002. After spending time with friends at a downtown Nanaimo nightclub that evening, Young left to grab a meal and was last seen getting into a red Jaguar driven by a man.

On Saturday, Nanaimo RCMP held their first news conference about the case in years, outside of their detachment.

Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP media spokesperson, said during the press conference that he wished the event was being held to make a major announcement in the case, but that simply isn’t the case. While foul play was immediately suspected after she went missing, no arrests have ever been made and her whereabouts remain a mystery.

Instead, he told reporters that with the 19-year anniversary of Young’s disappearance fast approaching, investigators have been working hard over the years and continue to work the case.

“The reality is she has been missing for 19 years and she would have celebrated her 40th birthday earlier this year,” he said. “We’ve had a number of investigators in 19 years work on this file and everyone their single goals was to find out what happened to her, hold those accountable for their actions and most importantly, to bring her home.”

Cpl. Markus Muntener, lead investigator of the case, told reporters there have been “numerous” searches for Young conducted in the past year alone due to new information.

“Those searches were extensive in detail and we have more of those searches planned in the future at some point,” he said.

Const. Hailey Pinfold, who is also assigned to the case, said investigators have been approaching the case with an open mind.

“What we really want people to take away is that we are here to listen,” she said. “We want anybody who thinks they might have any information, whether it be a small piece of information or the spoke to the police 18 years ago and they feel that they still have that piece of information, we are just asking that people come talk to us because we are here to listen.”

After the press conference, a march from the Nanaimo RCMP detachment to Maffeo Sutton Park was held, followed by a series of speakers, including Young’s grandfather Chief Moses Martin of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation; Mariah Charelson, vice-president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council; Nanaimo mayor Leonard Krog; MLA Sheila Malcomson and MP Paul Manly.

Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

npescod@cheknews.ca