Welcome to Mysteries of the Missing, a podcast and blog about missing person's cases. You can find my podcast, my blog, and my social media pages on my Linktree at: https://linktr.ee/MysteriesoftheMissing.
Keep in mind that I am only reporting the events of what have happened, per my research through various media outlets. I’m not trained in any way in true crime. Instead, I'm a published author who loves to blog. Also, I’m solely a human being that’s trying to do my part to get the message of the story of these women out there so that one day, hopefully, they may be found, and their cases may be solved. Join me as I dive into the last day that people saw these women and what happened after they were last seen.
Today, I'm going to cover The Highway of Tears, also known as Yellowhead Highway 16. 23 First Nations border this highway. This looooong highway stretches over 440 miles between Prince George and Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada. It's categorized as a high poverty area, and the area didn't see public transportation until 2017. What's so unique about this highway is that according to aboriginal organizations, there are over 40 missing and murdered women tied to this highway. Strangely, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (or RCMP) state that it's only 18. Why the numbers don't match up, I don't know, but I can only assume that there's a disconnect between tribal police and the RCMP. According to the RCMP, the cases range rom the years 1969-2006, but I found cases that happened on this highway after 2006. Also, the RCMP includes Highway 97 and 5 in British Columbia, but I am only speaking of cases located in the Highway 16 area. The organization Human Rights Watch states that BC has the highest rate of unsolved murders of indigenous girls and women in Canada. As of 2015, the federal minister of Crown Indigenous Relations Canada stated that the number of murdered and missing indigenous women in Canada is most likely over 1,200! The RCMP investigated the cases from 1981 to 2005. In 2005, the RCMP created a campaign called E-Pana, "This project was named, in part, after an Inuit word describing the spirit goddess that looks after souls just before they go to heaven or are reincarnated." - The Canadian Encyclopedia. You can read more about The Highway of Tears on the Canadian Encyclopedia.
This highway reminds me of the Texas Killing Fields, which is an "area surrounding the Interstate Highway 45 corridor southeast of Houston, where since the early 1970s, more than 30 bodies have been found, and specifically to a 25-acre patch of land in League City, Texas[1] where four women were found between 1983 and 1991. The bodies along the corridor were mainly of girls or young women.[2] Furthermore, many additional young girls have disappeared from this area who are still missing. Most of the victims were aged between 12 and 25 years. Some shared similar physical features, such as similar hairstyles." (Wikipedia)
Since this is a missing person's podcast, we will only be covering some of the missing women. I wish I could cover each and every one of the missing women from The Highway of Tears, but sadly, we don't have much time. Therefore, I can at least give you the names of the ones I won't be covering so you can go do research yourself and hopefully, you'll share some of their stories so that they may be found.
The ones I won't be covering are as follows, so please take note and share their stories and names: Tracey Clifton, Helen Claire Frost, Nicole Hoar, Cecelia Anne Nikal, Lana Derrick, Margaret Nooski, Mary Madeline George, Tamara Lynn Chapman, Beverly Warbick, Anita Florence Thorne, Frances Brown, and Laureen Campbell Fabian. You can learn more about the women I'm not covering on The Canadian Encyclopedia website.
Jean Virginia "Ginny" Sampare:
Jean was born on September 10, 1953 in a First Nations family of Gitxsan (Gix-on) descent. She must've been adopted because her birth parent's names and locations are not known. "Ginny" was the second youngest of six children, and was described as quiet, shy, and loved to sing. When she was older, she took care of her siblings and worked at the Royal Packing Company salmon cannery in Caxton. What's strange about her case is that her boyfriend went missing a month before she did, and his remains were found in the Skeena River after she disappeared. When "Ginny" went missing on October 14, 1971, the night was cold, but she left her jacket at home. This tells me she didn't leave of her own accord. "Ginny" was at her mother's house when Violet, her sister-in-law, encountered her crying as she was coming out of the kitchen. When Violet tried to ask what was wrong and go after her sister-in-law, "Ginny's" own mother said that she would come back and to leave her alone. That happened between 10 and 11 p.m. Alvin, who was "Ginny's" cousin, was the last person to see her alive. They were walking together along Highway 16 when he said he left to go get his jacket and/or bike and when he came back, she was gone. His house was close to where he left her, so he obviously didn't think she'd be gone when he came back. Alvin believed "Ginny" was walking to the store that was close to a railroad overpass just outside of town and he heard a vehicle door close when he was pedaling back to the highway on his bike.
When "Ginny" didn't come home that night, her mother reported her missing the next morning to the Gitsegukla Indian Band (Git-seh-kew-kool-one) office (on an Indian Reserve) in Gitsegukla, which is a tundra-like environment in the middle of the Hazelton Mountain Group. Someone at the band office said "Ginny's" mom needed to wait some time before reporting her missing to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Still, the band office sent someone to look for "Ginny" at her sister's Winnie & Annie's place, but she wasn't there. After talking to some of "Ginny's" friends, the band office finally went to the RCMP. Two days after "Ginny" disappeared, the RCMP finally took out a missing person's case on her. For 8 days straight after she went missing, "Ginny's" family, the RCMP, and the band office searched the area she went missing from, including the river and the Kitselis Canyon, and they even used police dogs. It wasn't until 1985 that the RCMP closed the case, because they found a report from the Gitsegukla band Chief Councillor from 1971, 14 years earlier and the year that "Ginny" disappeared, that said that she had drowned in 1971. Why did it take 14 years for the band office to report this to the RCMP? Why was "Ginny" thrown to the waste side? Thankfully, the family complained, and the case was reopened.
In 2006, the RCMP took DNA from "Ginny's" family, believing that her case was possibly linked to Robert Pickton's victims (for more information, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Pickton). "Ginny's" brother, Rod, claimed he saw the RCMP case file on his sister, which he says stated that there were footprints next to the river that indicated that Ginny might've gone in. When Rod asked the RCMP for a copy of the case file, he was denied. The family doesn't believe that the footprints found at the river in 1971 belonged to his sister, because the prints were never confirmed to be hers and the shoreline is mostly stone, so it's actually hard to confirm if the prints were footprints or not. "Ginny" was upset about her boyfriend's death, but she never left a suicide note. It's normal to be upset about your loved one dying, so this isn't something surprising to me, but one may or may not take their own life over it. "Ginny" wasn't known to be a high-risk person, so her family doesn't believe she ran away. Both Winnie ("Ginny's" sister) and Rod have spoken about their sister's disappearance with the media and there were a few newspaper articles put out about "Ginny's" disappearance, but nothing has been blasted about "Ginny" besides this.
"Ginny," if you're out there, your siblings haven't stopped looking for you. If you can, please come home. If you're not able to, I hope you've found peace, wherever you are. May your case one day be solved.
Anyone with information on "Ginny's" disappearance may call the Gitsegukla Administration at +1 250-849-5490, or you may email me anonymously at mysteriesofthemissing2023@gmail.com.
Delphine Anne Camelia Nikal:
Delphine was born in 1975 on a farm near Smithers, British Columbia. She was apart of the Wet’suwet’en (Wet-soh-uh-ten) tribe. A person who loved animals and adventure, Delphine was only 11 when her dad died and she moved to Telkwa to live with her mother. Sadly, right before her disappearance, Delphine's mother died too. As a result, she went to live with her uncle Frank Tompkins, who happened to live across the street from her.
On the afternoon of June 13, 1990 at 2:00 pm, Delphine told her uncle that she was going to Smithers, about 9 miles from her home, to meet some friends. She was able to get there by hitchhiking and spent time there. The friends roamed around town, then went to a gas station known as Mohawk Gas Station, on the corner of Highway 16 and Main Street. Delphine asked her friends to spend the night, but they couldn't because of school the next day. At 10 pm, Delphine called her uncle to tell him she was coming home, then, her friends saw her hitchhiking in the eastbound lane on Highway 16 in Smithers, British Columbia.
Delphine was known to the police because she had had run-ins with them before: she had been known for theft and mischief, which were minor charges, and she'd spent time in youth facilities in the province. For that reason, the family weren't helped by police. Maybe they thought she had run away - still, I don't care if a child stole a car or a piece of candy, they still need to be looked for if they go missing, right? Not in this case, obviously. So Delphine's family went around Vancouver in a car looking for her and knocked on doors as well. Adding to their nonchalance, the police stated that many people go missing every year and end up on the streets in Vancouver. They must've felt that she was a run away, but runaways are still missing people. It angers me that the police didn't help at all in this case.
This case is similar to Mackie's case because just like Mackie and her cousin Bonnie, Delphine's cousin Cecilia went missing a year prior to her own disappearance. What are the odds that two sets of cousins would go missing within an area known as The Highway of Tears? This is chilling to me.
A serial killer from America by the name of Jack Fowler may be connected to Delphine's disappearance. Even though he's from America, he is considered a suspect in two other cases from the area and he frequently targeted hitchhiking females. However, he's not been charged with Delphine's disappearance. Even though it's suspected that Delphine was a victim of Jack Fowler, I am including her in my report because her body has never been found, therefore, she's still missing.
Canpro Investigation Services and The Missing Children Society of Canada started to help: They offered a reward of $10,000. With that reward, Delphine's case picked up traction.
A Mohawk Gas Station employee says he saw Delphine get into a red sports car on the night of her disappearance. My research didn't tell me what type of red sports car, only that it was that. Oddly enough, Delphine's own cousin was considered a person of interest and was investigated by the police, but he passed away eventually. Also, according to evidence, Delphine never made it home that night. Rumors were that Delphine went to a party in a secluded area of Smithers, but that information didn't lead anywhere after investigators took a look at it.
It wasn't until March of 2019 where a witness came forward with information that let the investigators know that she most likely went with someone who was on their way out of town. I tried to find more information about this witness or exactly what they said, but I was unable to, unfortunately.
Since 1990, RCMP created a Task Force called E-PANA. They investigate the murders along The Highway of Tears, including Delphine's. Their purpose is to "determine if a serial killer, or killers, is responsible for murdering young women traveling along major highways in British Columbia." (E-PANA website). They haven't been very successful though, because all the cases along the highway included in E-PANA, in addition to Delphine's case, remain unsolved.
At the time of her disappearance, Delphine was 15. Delphine’s right index finger was fractured at the time of her disappearance, a scar on her right temple, she has a purple birthmark on her neck, she was described as having a light complexion and a medium build, Delphine has healthy teeth. She has brown hair and hazel eyes. When she went missing, she was wearing a blue bleached denim Levi’s jacket with white inside pockets, a white cotton Ginny sweater, hot pink skin tight and knee length denim pants, white LAGear running shoes, and a black leather “pouch style” purse which has also been described as a western shoulder handbag with fringes, inside of the purse was hair spray and a brush, pictures, makeup, and an address book.
Delphine: Sadly, I couldn't find any evidence that your family or friends are looking for you, but Canada is, and I am, too. You are cared for and not forgotten. I hope you are found one day and until then, may you find peace, wherever you are.
If you have any information concerning Delphine's case, please contact:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police 250-847-3233.
Immaculate "Mackie" Mary Basil:
Immaculate Basil was born on December 8, 1985 on the Roman Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is where she most likely got her beautiful name. She had 6 siblings: Crystal, Ida, Nick, Peter, and Samantha and Travis (both of whom are deceased now). Immaculate grew up in the foster care system with Ida and Crystal, and they bounced around from house to house. "Mackie" was from the Tl'azt'en Nation, based out of Tachie, south of the Kuz Che Reserve. However, she lived in St. James at the time of her disappearance and she was working two great jobs: a secretary and a teacher's assistant at a school. This tells me that she had a big heart and was very organized and hardworking. She also had a son named "Jamison" with her partner, whom she was separated from at the time of her disappearance - the reason why is unknown and it shocked her family to learn that the pair had split up.
The area where Immaculate grew up, Tl'azt'en nation of British Columbia, which includes the communities of Tachie, Kuzche, and Dzitl’ainli (Dak-elh) is located near many lakes and rivers, and is highly forested.
Immaculate was introverted, wasn't into partying, and didn't drink or take drugs. Her preference was being at home with her family. Therefore, when it was reported that Immaculate was reported as being at a party alone, drinking, her family was surprised.
On the night that "Mackie" disappeared, June 13, 2013, she was seen at a house party with her cousin Keith and a man named Victor on the Tachie Reservation after midnight. The party was within a 20 minute walk from Mackie's house.
Sometime during the party, Mackie and her cousin and Victor went to get some roofing tin for an elder from a hunter's cabin in Kuzche. While on the way there, the white and blue truck she got into with Victor and Keith got into an accident. The next day on June 14, 2013 at 10:00 am, Victor was seen walking down a street in Tachie with his clothes wet up to his chest. It was reported later that Mackie separated from the two men after the truck got stuck in the mud during the accident. Where was Mackie, and how did she get separated from them?
After both Crystal and Ida tried to call Mackie for their daily calls on June 14, they repeatedly kept trying her for another day until June 15. The sisters suspected that Mackie was at their brother Nick's, but she wasn't and they didn't find out until June 16. By this time, their sister had been missing for 2 days. Finally, on the third day, the sisters filed a missing person's report with the RCMP. Still, it took another day for the RCMP to meet with the sisters and start interviewing people from the party, which was four days after Mackie went missing.
There were ground search efforts, even with dogs, but a hailstorm may have destroyed evidence, and nothing was discovered. Even though the RCMP only searched for a week after Mackie disappeared, the Tl'azt'en band searched for her after that. No blood or items on Mackie's person were discovered from the search.
A forensic psychologist interviewed both Victor and Keith and the pair took a polygraph test, but I found no evidence in my research to suggest that they failed or passed. Neither man has spoken with Mackie's family about exactly what happened that night. However, Victor has been reported as being mean to his wife, has a history of violent crimes, and at least one sexual assault charge. Victor appeared in the Dease Lake Court for most of his crimes.
On the morning of June 14, there were sightings of Mackie by forestry workers, tree planters, and a truck driver. They stated that she looked like she was hitchhiking. However, the RCMP has followed up on this claim and they believe these sightings to be untrue.
Mackie isn't considered a run away, due to her close relationships with her family and her child.
In a strange turn of events, Mackie's own cousin, Bonnie Joseph, went missing from the same area on the Highway of Tears on Saturday, September 8, 2007. Bonnie was last seen by her cousin Joanne.
Immaculate, if you're out there, your family hasn't stopped looking for you. In fact, they have a page on Facebook for you called "Search for Mackie Basil." I hope one day you're found so your family may have closure and you can have peace.
If you have any information regarding Immaculate Basil's case, please contact the Fort St James RCMP at 250-996-8269, case#: 2013-1757, or you may email me anonymously at mysteriesofthemissing2023@gmail.com.
More Information:
National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170927_MMIWG_Smithers_Public_Vol_7_combined.pdf
Mapping Our Stolen Sisters: thedataschool.co.uk/nai-louza/highway-tears-mapping-stolen-sisters/
What do you think happened to the women we learned about today? Let me know by reaching out. Please find me on Facebook, Instagram, X, Tiktok, and Wix, and don't forget to like, save, share, follow, and rate on each platform, so we can get the message of these women out there. If you have any information, you may reach out to me on any social media platform or by emailing me at mysteriesofthemissing2023@gmail.com.
This has been another episode of Mysteries of the Missing.
Until next time, stay safe.
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