Nicole Hoar, a young girl from Red Deer, Alberta, working in Prince George area as a tree planter disappeared 18 years ago and brought in to focus the infamously known Highway of Tears.
Hoar was just 25 when she disappeared in June 2002.
She was last seen hitchhiking on the remote highway west of Prince George, on her way to meet her sister in Smithers. Her last known sighting was at a nearby gas station however, Hoar, like several other women before her, disappeared without any trace after that point.
Nicole Hoar’s case received tremendous national coverage and it took this tragedy to bring to everyone’s attention the several other disappearances from the area, mainly of aboriginal girls and women. But despite the attention, no information has been found and the case still remains unsolved.
RCMP spokesperson Madonna Saunderson told Black Press that “RCMP’s investigative team is still very much engaged in the disappearance of Nicole Hoar, as well as all the cases which comprise our Project Epana or better known as the Highway of Tears investigation. The case is still active and a team of investigators are assigned to this and all the Project Epana cases.”
Saunderson also said that the team informed her that they continue to receive new information from the public for this case as well as other Project Epana cases and assured that any and all new leads are pursued.
“The case of Nicole Hoar remains unsolved as well as several of our Project Epana cases. The location of several of the missing women including that of Nicole Hoar remains unknown and therefore we continue to seek new information in order to help solve this case and bring closure to the family and community,” said Saunderson.
If you have any information at all, please contact the RCMP, regardless of how insignificant you might feel that information might be. The Project Epana Tip Line is (877) 543-4822.