On Aug. 2, a vigil was held at Strathcona Park in Prince George marking 35 years since the Jack family disappeared from the area.
A historic case from northern B.C., four members of the Jack family were reported missing in 1989 after they were last seen leaving their home at 2116 Strathcona Avenue in the early hours of Aug. 2.
The missing individuals were Doreen and Ronald Jack, both 26 at the time, and their two children, Ryan, 4, and Russell, 9.
Originally from Burns Lake, the family had relocated to Prince George. Leading up to their disappearance, Ronald had been offered a camp job near Clucluz Lake by an unidentified man he met at a bar. They were last seen driving away in the man's pickup truck at 1:21 a.m. on August 2, 1989.
The investigation into their disappearance remains active with a tip in 2019, leading the RCMP to search a property on the Saik’uz Nation reserve south of Vanderhoof. Despite the use of ground-penetrating radar and forensic equipment, no trace of the Jacks was found.
Maria Jack, Doreen's younger sister, attended the last week's vigil. This was the first vigil held for the Jacks, an event Maria had long wanted to organize but lacked the resources for. Recently, she was contacted by Patricia Prince from United Way who organized the event to keep the memory of the Jack family alive.
Prince connected with the Jack Family relatives over the course of the last few months, at National Indigenous Peoples Day gatherings and through mutual connections when they came up to Prince George to do a ground search.
"The family is trying to fit the pieces together," Prince said on the importance of the event which saw over 120 people last week. "They said this was the first time they ever felt heard, supported," Prince added.
The community organizations want to continue to work together to make it an annual event until the family is brought home, she added.
"Our hope is to continue to address the social injustices that happen to Indigenous people, issues that do not [get] the same coverage, concern, and investigation as issues affecting non-indigenous people," said Prince.
At the Friday vigil, attendees included Staff Sgt. Ron Palta from the RCMP Major Crimes Section Special Projects Unit, Cheslatta Carrier Nation Chief Corinna Leween, and Prince George Mayor Simon Yu.
During a brief interaction, Palta told Maria the RCMP continues to work on the investigation and follow up on tips. However, 35 years without significant progress has been deeply frustrating, she said.
Maria criticized the initial investigation, claiming it was mishandled from the start. She alleges the case was prematurely closed in 1989 despite no proof of life, and only reopened months later after family reports of the family's continued absence.
She also expressed concerns about possible racial biases in the handling of the case, a long-standing complaint of First Nations in B.C.
The RCMP had not responded to Black Press Media's queries about the family members' allegations at the time of publishing this article. However, in an Aug. 26 news release, the police said, Prince George RCMP’s Serious Crime Unit has a dedicated investigator attached to the search, who continues to follow up on all verifiable tips received from the public.
"This is the type of investigation that relies heavily on what we can learn from the public," Sgt. Aaron Whitehouse, commander of the Serious Crime Unit said in the statement.
"It is unlike investigations today where we can track people using their digital footprint. There is no surveillance to review, no banking records to follow or cell phone records to examine. There is little that would give us a clue as to where the Jack family went after they were last seen," Whitehouse added.
The police also said many of the tips received recently were already thoroughly investigated before.
Maria says her emotional journey over the past 35 years has been a mix of frustration and hopelessness.
“It’s always on your mind every day.”
Maria recalled that growing up in Burns Lake, Doreen, the eldest sister, was always the one taking care of the younger girls.
“It has been hard not knowing where they are... It's hard not being able to have her [Doreen] there,” Maria said.
Many of their family members, including siblings and parents, have since passed away without ever finding closure, she added.
Maria runs a Facebook page dedicated to the Jack family, hoping someone will come forward with information about their disappearance.
“I just feel hopeless knowing that people know something and they're not coming forward.”
In 2024, Maria continues to see ongoing disappearances along Hwy 16, reflecting a troubling status quo in the region.
She urges younger generations to use technology, such as cell phones, to improve safety and keep communication open about their locations at all times. She also calls for greater transparency from the RCMP and encourages communities to enhance safety measures for people.
Maria is encouraging anyone with any information to be brave and come forward. Anyone with information about the Jack family, where they are or who is responsible for their disappearance, can contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300, or crime stoppers at 1-800-222-8477
Editor's note: This article has been updated on Aug. 26 to include a statement from the RCMP.
