The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) released its comprehensive report on unsolved missing and murdered Indigenous persons today during a news conference in Vaughn.
The report, which covers only these cases within OPP jurisdictions, was presented by Commissioner Vince Hawkes and Detective Superintendent Dave Truax of OPP Criminal Investigation Services.
Also in attendance were Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day and Deputy Grand Chief Denise Stonefish of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians.
The report states that as of December 31, 2014, a total of 1,542 missing persons in Ontario were listed on the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database, 351 of which are from OPP jurisdictions - 61 females and 290 males.
For cases recorded between 1956 and 2014, there remains 48 unsolved missing Indigenous persons within the OPP's jurisdiction, eight of which are identified as female and 40 male.
Between 1964 and 2014, the OPP investigated 54 homicides involving Indigenous females, eight of which remain unsolved for a case clearance rate of 85.2 percent.
Between 1978 and 2014, the OPP investigated 126 homicides involving Indigenous males, one of which remains unsolved for a case clearance rate of 99.2 percent.
A number of unsolved cases outlined in the report are those from Ontario's northeast region.
They include:
Pamela Holopainen, age 22, Timmins
Pamela Holopainen, age 22, and her common-law spouse had been at a house party in Timmins on the evening of December 14, 2003. On the following morning, her common-law spouse reported that he woke up to find her missing. Family members searched unsuccessfully for Holopainen. Eventually, the family reported the disappearance to police. Holopainen was never seen again. The OPP was requested by Timmins Police to lead the investigation.
Shelley Anderson, age 50, Cobalt
Shelley Anderson, age 50, was last seen by her landlord walking in downtown Cobalt, sometime in September 2009. Anderson told her landlord that day that she may go visit her boyfriend in Englehart. She was also seen by her aunt sometime in late September at the Country Style in Haileybury, at which time she was seen in a vehicle with an older male. The vehicle was described as an older model “Jimmy/SUV” style vehicle, dull maroon and silver in colour. Anderson has not been seen since.
Daniel Riel, age 28, Lake Superior
Daniel Riel, age 28, and Robert Daigle were in a steel-hulled open boat doing some commercial fishing on April 20, 1982. They were on Lake Superior, approximately one kilometre south of the Pic River. Their employer was standing on the shoreline where the Pic River enters Lake Superior. He observed flames shoot up approximately 2 metres into the air, with a black heavy smoke. The fire and smoke lasted for approximately 2 minutes and when it cleared, his boat and the two subjects had disappeared. Daigle's body was found but Riel's body was never recovered. He is presumed drowned.
Michael Linklater, age 44, Cochrane
Michael Linklater, age 44, was last seen by family on July 12, 2003, at his family hunting camp located at Mile 115 on the Ontario Northland Railway line from Cochrane to Moosonee. He left the hunting camp at approximately 6:00 p.m. He was last seen wearing black jeans, a black jean jacket, a white t-shirt and a black baseball hat when he left the camp. Linklater walks with a limp.
Andrew Moses, age 34, Brunswick Lake
Andrew Moses, age 34, was last seen on November 5, 1960, leaving Brunswick Lake to place a trapline on Ericsen Creek. Moses has not been seen since that time.
Gerald Bouchard, age 38, Moosonee
Gerald Bouchard, age 38, was last seen on the morning of June 4, 1998, in the Town of Moosonee. Moosonee is a remote northern Ontario community situated on the coast of James Bay. There are no roads to Moosonee and access is by rail or aircraft. It is believed that Bouchard may have left Moosonee by jumping on a rail boxcar.
Robert Heintz, age 12, Larder Lake
Robert Heintz, age 12, went missing on December 1, 1982, in the Town of Larder Lake. Heintz was attending Larder Lake Public School and was last seen going into the woods behind the school with some friends. He became separated from them and has not been seen since.
Francois Betournay, age 35, Noelville
Francois Betournay, age 35, went missing from the Noelville OPP Detachment area in the summer of 2004. He is originally from eastern Quebec, fluent in both French and English. Betournay makes his living by making and selling “dream catchers” and is known to travel widely throughout Canada. He is tall with a slim build, black hair and hazel eyes.
Theodore Jacobs, age 51, Killarney
On the morning of October 27, 1990, Theodore Jacobs, age 51, and his two friends took a boat out on Georgian Bay at Killarney, near the Point Grondine Indian Reserve (now called Wikwemikong). The boat overturned and capsized. After being swept away from the overturned boat, Jacobs was unable to return to the overturned vessel and was observed sinking below the surface of the water. One friend survived and the body of the other was later recovered.
Michael Recollet, age 25, Little La Cloche Island
Michael Recollet, age 25, was last seen on August 19, 1991, at Okeechobee Lodge Dock, Fraser Point. He was heading in a westerly direction towards Birch Island by boat. His 16-foot cedar strip boat and 25HP Mariner motor were recovered near Mary’s Point, Little La Cloche Island. Recollet has not been located.
Robert Pegahmagabow, age 33, Parry Sound
Robert Pegahmagabow, age 33, was reported missing on August 15, 1962, from the Bay of Parry Sound. His boat was found the next morning rolling against the rocks in front of a local resident’s home. A hat was later found in the same area as the boat and was identified as Pegahmagabow's. Groceries purchased by the missing man were also recovered in the boat. He is presumed drowned.
Full text of a news release issued today by the Ontario Provincial Police regarding the report on missing and unsolved murdered Indigenous persons follows.
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VAUGHAN - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has released a comprehensive report on missing and unsolved murdered indigenous people in OPP jurisdiction.
The report was released at a news conference today by Commissioner J.V.N. (Vince) Hawkes and Detective Superintendent Dave Truax of OPP Criminal Investigation Services who were accompanied by Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day and Deputy Grand Chief Denise Stonefish of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians.
Beginning in 2011, the OPP began proactively reviewing all available information on homicide investigations and unsolved missing persons and unidentified remains in OPP jurisdiction where the victim was identified or self-identified as Aboriginal.
The report covers a period from 1956 to 2014.
To the end of 2014, there were 54 homicides involving Indigenous females on OPP jurisdiction; eight (8) of which remain unsolved for a clearance rate of 85.2 percent.
Of the 46 solved female Indigenous homicides:
- 9 were murdered by family member;
- 17 were murdered by domestic partner/spouse;
- 19 were murdered by persons known to victim; and,
- 1 was of unknown circumstances.
For the period of 1978 to December 2014, inclusive, there were 126 homicides of Indigenous males in OPP jurisdiction – only one remains unsolved for a clearance rate of 99.2 percent.
Of the 125 cases that were solved:
- 35 were murdered by family members;
- 10 were murdered by domestic partner/spouse;
- 70 were murdered by persons known to victim;
- 9 were of unknown circumstances; and,
- 1 is not available.
During the same period, there were eight (8) missing Indigenous females reported to the OPP who remain missing – foul play is possible or suspected in one (1) of these occurrences.
Presently, there are 39 cases that involve missing Indigenous males.
Police believe foul play is possible or suspected for 22 missing Indigenous men; 17 are considered missing persons.
The OPP Report on Missing And Unsolved Murdered Indigenous People In OPP Jurisdiction is currently available in English via the OPP websiteand will be translated in French, the five recognized Aboriginal languages in Ontario - Cree, Oji-Cree, Ojibway, Oneida, and Mohawk - and in Algonquin.
Quotes
"We recognize that there are many unanswered questions and that we cannot reverse the outcomes for the families and loved ones of those have gone missing or were murdered. We hope information in the OPP report generates further discussion, potential leads, and/or resolution for the families and communities who have suffered loss." - Commissioner J.V.N. (Vince) Hawkes, Ontario Provincial Police
"The release of this report is timely to the start of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) National Inquiry and the release of the full report from the Truth and Reconciliation process. Now it's time to get work done based on a new social lens in Canada. Reconciliation means that all Canadians, all organizations, all political stripes and authorities, roll up their sleeves and begin to change a Nation. The Ontario Provincial Police report on missing and murdered First Nation citizens gives us a good starting point." - Chief Isadore Day, Ontario Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Did you know
Policing responsibility in Ontario is shared by the OPP, 52 municipal and/or regional police services, and nine (9) self-directed First Nation police services.
OPP jurisdiction includes geographic areas under direct OPP policing including 324 Ontario municipalities, some of which have transitioned with their records and files to the OPP in recent years, along with 38 First Nations communities the OPP polices directly or for which it administers policing.
The 52 jurisdictions that are not policed by the OPP are independent or regional municipalities within the Province of Ontario that receive policing services under terms of the Police Services Act.
These are self-funded, stand-alone municipal or regional police services covering their respective geographic boundaries.
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