CANADA - Lucas Fowler, Australian & g/f Chynna Deese, American, murdered, Alaska Hwy, BC, Jul 2019

[PingTheRouter]

could it have been a road rage incident that happened and they continued on their way ... then the other person caught up to them when their van broke down

possibly but people have commented saying they spoke to the couple, this probably wouldn't make sense then unless the gap between the two sets of people were hours, we don't know when those people spoke to the couple or what they said

above commentor has the conversation still doesn't give us a time really but must have been close to when it happened if they were waiting for things to cool down with the van

 

[Satchie]

Update on situation from Daily Mail:
American woman and her Australian boyfriend are 'shot dead by a serial killer' in Canada | Daily Mail Online

I think they've removed the reference to a serial killer in their headline. I'm not aware of any unsolved similiar cases anywhere in BC, or Canada for that matter.

IMO the Highway of Tears is a romantic name that lingers in people's minds, kind of like The Burmuda Triangle. It's become shorthand for the unsolved deaths or disappearances of northern, primarily aboriginal women who live in small communities along that route. There's no reason to believe one person is responsible: quite a few killers have, in fact, been caught and convicted over the last 50 years: three serial killers, several domestic partners. Many of the circumstances had nothing to do with the actual highway, but the victims lived in communities that border or straddle that highway. However, some of the unsolved deaths or disappearances were female hitchhikers, but I think it's been over 20 years since the last case of those.

 

[otto]

https://7news.com.au/news/crime/fat...ada-opens-up-on-serial-killer-theory-c-356657
"Authorities believe they were murdered after their van broke down on the Alaska Highway, 20 kilometres south of Liard Hot Springs.

The injuries inflicted were so "brutal" Ms Deese's heartbroken brother, British Deese, said the family was told a casket would not be allowed at her funeral."

"At this point, we have nothing to indicate that their deaths are linked to any other active and ongoing investigations in the area, or if there is a heightened risk to public safety," Sgt Shoihet said.

"I don't think it's a serial killer," Ms Deese's father, Dwayne, told the Observer.

"I think of someone who has been convicted of violent crimes before, someone on drugs."

"Something happened on that road, some sort of conflict."

One of the last people to speak to the couple were Canadians Sandra and Curtis Broughton, who were driving past, saw the broken down blue van and stopped to help."

Aust
"One of the last people to see Australian tourist Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend Chynna Deese alive says the couple was smiling, relaxed and sitting in arm chairs on the side of a Canadian highway.

"Obviously their van had broken down, but they were still happy and smiling," Curtis Broughton told AAP on Friday.

"They were having lunch or a bit of a meal when we pulled up."

Mr Fowler, 23, from Sydney, and Ms Deese, 24, from North Carolina, were found dead at the site hours later."

Estimating 20km South of Liard Hot Springs:



Somewhere in this area, perhaps:

 

[afitzy]

RCMP to give update on Liard Hot Springs murders this afternoon

 

[Gardenista]

Estimating 20km South of Liard Hot Springs:

View attachment 194088

Somewhere in this area, perhaps:

View attachment 194086

Gray pinpoints the exact spot starting at about 5:30 in his video

 

[afitzy]

I think they've removed the reference to a serial killer in their headline. I'm not aware of any unsolved similiar cases anywhere in BC, or Canada for that matter.

IMO the Highway of Tears is a romantic name that lingers in people's minds, kind of like The Burmuda Triangle. It's become shorthand for the unsolved deaths or disappearances of northern, primarily aboriginal women who live in small communities along that route. There's no reason to believe one person is responsible: quite a few killers have, in fact, been caught and convicted over the last 50 years: three serial killers, several domestic partners. Many of the circumstances had nothing to do with the actual highway, but the victims lived in communities that border or straddle that highway. However, some of the unsolved deaths or disappearances were female hitchhikers, but I think it's been over 20 years since the last case of those.

Here are the details from the DM article posted above about the other individuals that were found missing or murdered allegedly in the same area which they are referring to as the Highway of Tears:

"Deese and Fowler were travelling in a region that has seen numerous murders and disappearances in recent years, sparking speculation the pair may have been victims of a serial killer".

"Last year alone, three women were murdered or went missing while on 'The Highway of Tears' in upper British Columbia".

"Chantelle Catherine Simpson, 34, was last seen alive in the city of Terrace on July 4 2018, before her abandoned car was found the following day".

"Her body was discovered two weeks later in the Skeena River, and an exact cause of death has not been made public".

"Just weeks later, 18-year-old Jessica Patrick vanished after last being seen at a McDonald's along the highway. Her remains were found down a steep embankment on September 15".

"Meanwhile, 50-year-old Cynthia Martin vanished from the nearby town of Hazelton on December 23".

"Her car was later found, but she has not been seen since".

 

[Satchie]

The couple mentioned that road traffic is primarily large trucks. Do we know what possible reasons trucks could be in the area? Is it a mining area, logging operations etc.

RSBM

I think they would be transport trucks, pretty much everything anyone needs in the Yukon is trucked in along that route. Not sure about the route for goods going to Alaska.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-alaska-highway-anniversary-truckers-1.4259874

ETA: a trucker is a possibility.

 

[Satchie]

Here are the details from the DM article posted above about the other individuals that were found missing or murdered allegedly in the same area which they are referring to as the Highway of Tears:

"Deese and Fowler were travelling in a region that has seen numerous murders and disappearances in recent years, sparking speculation the pair may have been victims of a serial killer".

"Last year alone, three women were murdered or went missing while on 'The Highway of Tears' in upper British Columbia".

"Chantelle Catherine Simpson, 34, was last seen alive in the city of Terrace on July 4 2018, before her abandoned car was found the following day".

"Her body was discovered two weeks later in the Skeena River, and an exact cause of death has not been made public".

"Just weeks later, 18-year-old Jessica Patrick vanished after last being seen at a McDonald's along the highway. Her remains were found down a steep embankment on September 15".

"Meanwhile, 50-year-old Cynthia Martin vanished from the nearby town of Hazelton on December 23".

"Her car was later found, but she has not been seen since".

Well, if it's published in the Daily Mail, it must be true (irony ).

 

[kmclaren]

There's an entire forum dedicated to the Highway of Tears here:

Western Canada's Highway of Tears

Here are the details from the DM article posted above about the other individuals that were found missing or murdered allegedly in the same area which they are referring to as the Highway of Tears:

"Deese and Fowler were travelling in a region that has seen numerous murders and disappearances in recent years, sparking speculation the pair may have been victims of a serial killer".

"Last year alone, three women were murdered or went missing while on 'The Highway of Tears' in upper British Columbia".

"Chantelle Catherine Simpson, 34, was last seen alive in the city of Terrace on July 4 2018, before her abandoned car was found the following day".

"Her body was discovered two weeks later in the Skeena River, and an exact cause of death has not been made public".

"Just weeks later, 18-year-old Jessica Patrick vanished after last being seen at a McDonald's along the highway. Her remains were found down a steep embankment on September 15".

"Meanwhile, 50-year-old Cynthia Martin vanished from the nearby town of Hazelton on December 23".

"Her car was later found, but she has not been seen since".

 

[PaulR]

Here are the details from the DM article posted above about the other individuals that were found missing or murdered allegedly in the same area which they are referring to as the Highway of Tears:
...
"Meanwhile, 50-year-old Cynthia Martin vanished from the nearby town of Hazelton on December 23".
...
"Her car was later found, but she has not been seen since".

Hazelton is 14 hours and 657 miles from Liard River.

Daily Fail.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Sydney man Lucas Fowler and his American girlfriend were shot dead on a remote Canadian highway, New South Wales police have confirmed.

Lucas Fowler, 23, the son of a senior New South Wales policeman, and Chynna Deese, 24, were found dead on Monday on the side of the Alaska Highway in British Colombia.

Canadian authorities confirmed their deaths as a double homicide. NSW Assistant Commissioner Mark Jones said they have been told the young couple was shot in "what can only be described as horrific circumstances".

Police have confirmed the two were killed sometime between July 14 and 15.

In a statement released on Friday night, the Fowler family said it was travelling to Canada to bring Lucas home.

"We have lost our dear Lucas Fowler, son, brother, grandson and friend, in the most terrible of circumstances. To lose someone so young and vibrant, who was travelling the world and just enjoying life to the full, is devastating.

"To know his beautiful girlfriend, Chynna Deese of Charlotte North Carolina also lost her life in this violent event is too cruel. All our love and best wishes go to Chynna's family and friends.

"We are all now travelling to Canada to be with our boy and to bring him home".

Sydney cop's son and girlfriend victims of double shooting, NSW police say

 

[zecats]

This is good. It will force the RCMP to assign officers to the case and to do a very thorough investigation.

Indeed. RCMP seem to need the help. This is the same woman running the investigation (unsolved/body not found) on Ben Tyner, the missing American Cowboy who disappeared from a ranch in Merritt, BC last January.

"Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said no further information could be released and she could not confirm how the couple died."

 

[otto]

hey guys and gals
i don't login that often only when a case triggers an interest or i need more information from the great people here

i read this a lot through our MSM in Australia and something just doesn't make sense
their car broke down and then wind up shot to death? whats the missing link here
hopefully we find out it reminds me of the case of the Australian surfers who were in van in Mexico and they were found dead in a burnt out van

Canadians are not aware of a serial killer in the area, but the brutality of the murder suggests that these are not his first victims.

They were driving a van in BC that was registered in Alberta. That means they were in Alberta at some point. Were they driving from Vancouver or Alberta? It makes a difference in terms of where they were heading when this happened.

There's nothing unusual about having a picnic next to a mountainous highway in Canada. There are many places to pull off, but off the road is good if there is little to no traffic.

What's unusual is that the suspect brutally murdered two people on the side of a highway. I think that means that he stopped and was in the van with the two victims. That's the only way to be sure that no one who is driving by sees what's going on. I think that police are looking for anyone who saw another vehicle with the van. The suspect had to get away, and it's likely in his own vehicle. Didn't one witness say he wondered if they needed help but was scared?

The question is also whether someone followed them from, for example, the last gas station, or it was pure chance? Maybe someone saw them as an opportunity. Maybe Chynna was the target. Things like that happen in the Australian outback as well.

This is roughly where it happened



Here is the bigger picture. They were going to drive across Northern Canada. If they were driving from Alberta, they were going North. If they were driving from Vancouver, they may have been going South and looping through Fort Nelson before entering the Northwest Territories.

 

[PaulR]

Indeed. RCMP seem to need the help. This is the same woman running the investigation (unsolved/body not found) on Ben Tyner, the missing American Cowboy who disappeared from a ranch in Merritt, BC last January.

"Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said no further information could be released and she could not confirm how the couple died."

She's a media relations officer.

 

[otto]

could it have been a road rage incident that happened and they continued on their way ... then the other person caught up to them when their van broke down

I doubt it. They were sitting in lawn chairs having something to eat according to witnesses.

 

[afitzy]

RCMP seek witnesses, dashcam footage in Liard Hot Springs death investigation

Quote from above article and RCMP and CrimeStoppers phone information:

"Police are looking to speak with anyone who travelled the stretch of highway between Sunday, July 14 at 4 p.m. and Monday morning at 8 a.m. Police say they'd especially like to speak with anybody who has dashcam video of their travels through the area."

"The North District Major Crimes Unit and Northern Rockies RCMP are investigating. Details about the deaths are limited at this time. Officials couldn't immediately say whether public safety is a concern".

"Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northern Rockies RCMP at 250-774-2700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477".

 

[dotr]

NSW police to aid family of Canada victims
"NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Jones told reporters in Sydney on Saturday that two homicide detectives, including Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Walpole, would act in a liaison-type role.

"The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) are an outstanding organisation, we have the utmost confidence in their capacity and capability to run this investigation but our commissioner has made a great decision to send over two officers ... purely to assist the families," he said.

"Just breaking down some of the communication and just really keeping us appraised and them appraised of what's going on."

 

[JudgeJudi]

An old blue van Mr Fowler and Ms Deese were driving appears to have broken down on the highway and at least one Good Samaritan couple stopped to help in the hours before they were murdered.

"We seen the blue van broke down on our journey home on Sunday and we stopped and asked if they needed help. I can't believe that this young couple are dead now."

Mr Fowler is the son of the NSW Police Chief Inspector for Hills district in Sydney's northwest. Fowler.

The RCMP released photos of Mr Fowler and Ms Deese on Friday and issued a request for witnesses and video from motorists who may have had dashcams.

"Police would like to speak to anyone that may have travelled this stretch of highway between Sunday, July 14, 2019 at 4.00pm and Monday, July 15, 2019 at 8.00am," the RCMP said in a release.

"A vehicle, an older blue minivan with Alberta plates, was found at the scene and police would like to speak with anyone who may have seen the vehicle or rendered assistance."

Son of NSW Police chief inspector and girlfriend found dead in Canada

 

[afitzy]

There's an entire forum dedicated to the Highway of Tears here:

Western Canada's Highway of Tears

Yes, thank you. Unfortunately the maps section of the thread results in 404 errors.

I did find this website that is dedicated to the Highway of Tears victims and crimes. Here is their description of the area to which they refer to as the Highway of Tears:

Quote from above website:

From 1989 to 2006 nine young women went missing or were found murdered along the 724 kilometre length of highway 16 – now commonly referred to as the Highway of Tears. All but one of these victims were Aboriginal women.

The RCMP’s investigation into the highway murders, referred to as Project E-PANA, began in the fall of 2005. In October 2007, the RCMP expanded the number of women in their investigation to 18 and increased the total kilometre to approximately 1500, which included the Highway of Tears and parts of Highway 97 and highway 5. The cases involved in the project now ranged in date from 1969 to 2006. [BBM] No new cases have been added to the RCMP investigation since 2006; however, young women still continue to experience violence along British Columbia highways.

Highway of Tears Background Information - Highway of Tears

 

[TheSecondLaw]

The circumstances are partially reminiscent to the Peter Falconio / Joanne Lees case in Northern Territory, Australia, 2001.

Both cases involve a young couple traveling together in an old van, crossing paths with misfortune whilst on a lonely highway, in a remote area that neither were local to. The killer in the Falconio/Lees case was a truck driver & drug runner, driving his own personal vehicle at the time, striking opportunistically with an apparent sexual motive.