The search near Vanderhoof in August for the missing Jack turned up no evidence. (Crime Stoppers flyer)

The search near Vanderhoof in August for the missing Jack turned up no evidence. (Crime Stoppers flyer)

No clues in search for missing Jack family

Police searches for clues into a missing Southside family who were members of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation turned up no evidence, the RCMP said on Sept. 10.

  • Sep. 10, 2019 12:00 a.m.

Police searches for clues into a missing Southside family who were members of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation turned up no evidence, the RCMP said on Sept. 10.

The family of four went missing in 1989.

LOOK BACK: 29th anniversary of the missing Jack family

Investigators from the Prince George RCMP’s Serious Crimes Unit conducted searches on Aug. 28-30 on the property of the Saik’uz First Nation, south of Vanderhoof, Cpl. Craig Douglass said in the press release.

“The search was conducted with the assistance of expert civilian consultants and included the use of ground penetrating radar and heavy equipment. No evidence of the Jack family was located,” Douglass said.

The Jack family – from Burns Lake – were last seen in 1989. Ronald, his wife Doreen Ann and their sons Russell (9) and Ryan (4) had been living in Prince George. On Aug. 1, 1989 the family met a man in Prince George who offered them jobs at a logging camp in the Cluculz Lake area.

Ronnie phoned his mother in the early hours of Aug. 2, which was the last time the family was heard from.

Police believe that shortly afterwards, the family was driven off by the man in a dark coloured four wheel drive pick-up truck.

Based on witness accounts from 1989 and 1990, RCMP described the man as Caucasian, 35-40 years old, 183-198 centimetres tall, 200-275 lbs with reddish-brown hair and a full beard.

The family was reported missing on Aug. 25, 1989 and since then the Prince George RCMP have conducted hundreds of interviews and written up thousands of documents as part of the probe.

A search for the family was also happening along Highway 16 in late July of this year.

READ MORE: RCMP search for clues linked to missing Jack family

“I want to thank everyone who helped with the search for their support, even though there was nothing found,” said Marlene Jack, Doreen’s sister and spokesperson for the family. “I would like to ask from the bottom of my heart that everyone with information come forward to police. Please help bring our family home.”

“We aren’t giving up hope in the search for the family,” as Cheslatta Carrier Nation chief Corinna Leween told Lakes District News.

“The community that we were in – near Vanderhoof – was very hospitable to us and we’re very grateful for that. If anyone out there knows anything about the missing family can they please come forward so that the family looking for them can start to rest and maybe lay them to rest.”

The investigation into the family remains active.

Anyone with information about the Jack family can contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300, or Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca.

Members of the public who provide information that leads to an arrest or the location of the family can be eligible for a cash reward.


Blair McBride
Multimedia reporter
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