The Disappearance of Lake Anjikuni Village is one of Canada’s most perplexing mysteries—a tale of an entire Inuit village vanishing without explanation. The story first surfaced in November 1930, when fur trapper Joe LaBelle stumbled upon what appeared to be a ghost town on the remote shores of Lake Anjikuni in the Northwest Territories.
LaBelle was familiar with the area and had visited the village before. He expected to find a bustling community of around 25 people preparing for the harsh Arctic winter. Instead, he found eerie silence. The snow-covered village lay abandoned, with food still hanging on drying racks, clothing neatly arranged inside empty tents, and no signs of a struggle. Even more unsettling were the sled dogs, found frozen to death and still tethered to their posts, as though their owners had vanished without a second thought.
As LaBelle explored further, he made a disturbing discovery. The village’s burial ground had been disturbed. Graves were found empty, with the contents mysteriously missing. Alarmed, LaBelle hurried to the nearest telegraph office and contacted the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP). Officers reportedly visited the site and confirmed his findings: an entire community gone without a trace, leaving behind no footprints, no equipment, and no signs of where they might have gone.
News of the event spread quickly after it was published in a 1931 newspaper article. The NWMP received numerous inquiries about the disappearance but soon issued an official statement denying any knowledge of the incident. This discrepancy cast a shadow of doubt over LaBelle’s claims. If the police had indeed investigated the site, why were they now denying it? And if the report was fabricated, why did LaBelle stick to his story?
Over the decades, theories about the vanished village have proliferated. One theory suggests the community fell victim to forced relocation by the Canadian government, a practice not unheard of during that time. Others speculate that the villagers succumbed to an extreme and sudden blizzard, though this fails to explain the disturbed graves. Some locals whisper about ancient Inuit legends of malevolent spirits, while more modern theorists point to the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement.
Skeptics argue the story is nothing more than a hoax. The 1931 article that popularized the tale contained inaccuracies and exaggerated details. Historians have found no official NWMP records of an investigation, and some suspect LaBelle or the journalist who published the piece fabricated or embellished the account for attention.
Still, others insist that the truth is stranger than fiction. Stories of strange lights in the sky near Lake Anjikuni have circulated for generations. Some witnesses claim to have seen glowing orbs hovering over the area, adding fuel to the theory that something more otherworldly may have been responsible.
Was the disappearance of Lake Anjikuni Village a tragic case of forced relocation, an embellished tale that grew into legend, or evidence of something far beyond human comprehension? And what happened to the bodies from the disturbed graves?
Join us as we investigate the enigma of The Disappearance of Lake Anjikuni Village in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
The Curious Case of Tootsie LaFleche is a tale of deception, brutality, and an unsettling mystery that gripped the city of Regina in the mid-1950s. What began as confusion over a missed holiday gathering unraveled into a gruesome discovery that shocked the community and left investigators baffled for years.
Michael "Mike" Todor was a well-known and respected member of Regina’s Romanian Orthodox community. A 74-year-old retiree, he had invited friends and neighbors to his home for Orthodox Christmas in January 1954. However, when guests arrived at his modest house, they were met not by Todor, but by Tootsie LaFleche—his 36-year-old housekeeper and common-law wife. Tootsie seemed confused by the visitors' arrival, claiming Todor was out of town and hadn't mentioned any holiday plans.
The guests left the residence with a sense of unease, and over the following months, more troubling details emerged. Todor, who was known for his consistency and reliability, stopped attending church services. Neighbors reported a foul smell coming from the house. The police were called to investigate but, after a brief search, found nothing unusual and left the property undisturbed.
Months passed, and the odor grew worse. On April 15, 1955, neighbors once again contacted authorities, urging them to break into the residence. When officers entered the abandoned house, they discovered the source of the stench: behind a padlocked bedroom door lay the mummified remains of Michael Todor. His body was still on the bed, partially covered in blankets, with one arm raised as though warding off an attacker. His skull had been crushed by repeated blows from a blunt object. The floorboards were soaked with dried blood, and the walls were stained from the violent struggle.
Police quickly arrested Tootsie LaFleche and Jacob Dyck, a 45-year-old boarder with a reputation for violent behavior. During interrogation, LaFleche gave conflicting statements about what had transpired. Eventually, she confessed that Dyck had killed Todor after a heated argument about money. According to Tootsie, Todor had stormed off to the bedroom after accusing Dyck of owing him a substantial sum. Dyck followed Todor and began beating him with a heavy object. Tootsie claimed she heard Todor repeatedly ask, "Why?" as Dyck continued the assault.
When Tootsie entered the room, she said Todor was dead—his head bashed in, half his body hanging off the bed. Dyck, covered in blood, allegedly turned to her and said, "Keep quiet, or you're next." Terrified, Tootsie followed Dyck’s instructions to padlock the bedroom door and stuff rags underneath it to contain the smell. They sprayed insecticide to kill the swarms of flies and continued living in the house for months as Todor’s body decomposed just feet away.
The subsequent trial was a legal circus. Tootsie’s testimony changed repeatedly, often contradicting itself. She went from claiming Dyck killed Todor to saying she had no idea what happened. Dyck, meanwhile, maintained his innocence throughout. After four mistrials, the charges against Dyck were dropped due to lack of evidence. Tootsie was convicted of being an accessory to murder and served time in prison before being released. Shortly after her release, she was killed in a car accident under mysterious circumstances.
The case of Michael Todor’s murder remains officially unsolved. Was Tootsie telling the truth about Dyck's involvement, or did she commit the murder herself? Why did the police miss the body during their initial search? And what truly happened in that small Regina home during Orthodox Christmas in 1954?
Join us as we investigate the bizarre and unsettling Curious Case of Tootsie LaFleche in our latest Patreon-exclusive episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
Deep in the misty waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence lies Anticosti Island, a place of treacherous shipwrecks, ghostly legends, and one of Canada’s most enigmatic figures—Louis-Olivier Gamache, better known as the Sorcerer of Anticosti Island.
Born in 1784 in LeLay, Quebec, Gamache’s life was an odyssey of hardship and adventure. As a boy of eleven, he joined the British Navy, sailing across the world before returning to find his parents dead. With nothing left for him in his hometown, he sought a fresh start, opening a store in Rimouski—only to see it consumed by flames. Misfortune seemed to follow him, but instead of yielding to fate, Gamache carved out an existence on the remote and wild Anticosti Island.
There, he made a home in Baie Ellis, surviving by hunting, fishing, and trading with passing ships. The island’s infamous shipwrecks became an opportunity, as Gamache provided supplies to desperate sailors who washed ashore. But his solitude and resilience soon took on an air of mystery. Was he merely a hardened survivor, or did something more sinister lurk in the shadows of his isolated existence?
Stories of Gamache’s unyielding defense of his home began to spread. He was said to have kept an arsenal of weapons—rifles, pistols, and even bayonets—ready to fend off any who dared intrude. When an armed Innu man once ignored his warning, Gamache shot him in the leg, nursed him back to health, and then sent him away with a grim warning for others: the next man would be shot in the head.
But it wasn’t just his fierce reputation that made Gamache a legend. It was the whispers of the supernatural. According to some, he was not just a man but a sorcerer, capable of calling upon dark forces. One tale tells of his ship, chased by pursuers, vanishing in a fireball—only for the wreckage to never be found. Another speaks of how he could summon the wind at will, leaving other vessels becalmed while his ship sailed on.
Perhaps the most chilling story involves Gamache checking into an inn in Rimouski, ordering two extravagant meals. When the innkeeper inquired about his guest, Gamache coldly replied it was none of her concern. Yet when she later entered his room, she was horrified—both plates had been eaten from, both chairs drawn up to the table. But only Gamache was present. The town soon buzzed with rumors that the Sorcerer of Anticosti had dined with the Devil himself.
Even in death, his legend refused to fade. A trapper named Goudreau discovered Gamache’s lifeless body in 1854 and buried him beside his wife. But some say his spirit lingers, bound to the winds and waves of Anticosti, where the lost souls of shipwrecked sailors still wander.
Who was Louis Gamache? A man hardened by life’s cruelties, a trickster who played upon superstition, or something far more otherworldly? The full story of the Sorcerer of Anticosti Island awaits.
In our thirtieth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Christina Koutsi, Dylan Fairman and Kenton de Jong discuss the disappearance and subsequent murders of several men from Toronto's Gay Village during the early 2010s.
The Toronto Police Service were unequipped to handle these murders and were unfamiliar with the LGBTQA+ community they were taking part in. All signs pointed to a man named Bruce McArthur, but McArthur was a senior citizen, who landscaped for a living and volunteered as Santa Claus in the malls.
However, as the investigation continued, more of McArthur's life became known to the authorities. From a tough childhood, a messy divorce, bankruptcy, a troubled son, and more than one report of him being violent or aggressive, the police began to wonder if McArthur was involved, and if so, what happened to these missing men. As more and more men went missing, the search continued and the answer seemed further and further from the norm.
Come learn about a Canadian serial killer like no other!
In our twenty-ninth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Christina Koutsi, Dylan Fairman and Kenton de Jong discuss the life and death of Charles Coughlin, a British actor who is more famous in death than when he was alive.
Coughlin had a colourful life, from messy marriages, summer homes, a fluctuating acting career, and an unfortunate bankruptcy. However, he is more known for the legend that happened after his passing. While in Texas performing The Royal Box, he became gravely ill and passed after a month of sickness. His body would be interred in a temporary grave in Galveston, Texas while his family discussed what to do with it -- should he be buried at his summer home in PEI, or should he be cremated and buried in New York instead?
After a year of discussions, nature made the choice for them, and the incredibly deadly Galveston Hurrican of 1901 struck the city, destroying building, killing thousands, and smashing many mausoleums, including the one Charles Coughlin was resting in. His coffin would then be pulled out into the ocean... and the mystery would begin.
What happened to Charles Coughlin's coffin? Come listen to our new episode and find out!
In our twenty-eighth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong, Dylan Fairman and Christina Koutsi venture to the First Wolseley Cemetery.
The cemetery is said to contain the graves of many early Wolseley settlers, men and women, who struggled against all odds to make the town of Wolseley possible. However, most of the wooden graves were lost to a fire in 1905, and the cemetery needed to be abandoned. The town of Wolseley began using a new cemetery instead, and this one was supposedly forgotten. This has created many stories of the cemetery being haunted by intelligent spirits, sounds of growling from the shadows, and a creepy feeling.
However, when we visited the cemetery, we found it very maintained and in good condition. Many graves were missing, but the cemetery didn't have an uncomfortable vibe. It was a very well taken cared for and respected cemetery.
Many interesting discoveries were made, but nothing paranormal was recorded... or was there?
Come watch our second-ever on-location paranormal investigation into the First Wolseley Cemetery!
In our twenty-seventh episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss the 1903 and follow-up 1907 sightings of a strange creature near Partridge River in the Yukon.
The 1903 sighting was by Georges Dupuy, James Lewis Buttler, Tom Leemore, Father Pierre Lavagneux, and five First Nations individuals. The 1907 sighting was by Father Pierre Lavagneux and ten First Nations individuals.
Both describe a large creature, approximately 30 feet long, with feet five feet long, and claws a foot long. It was 12 feet wide, with a 10 foot long tail. It also had a small, square horn on its nose and the face of a dog.
It was believed that the beast they encountered was a dinosaur, most likely a Ceratosaurus or at least another kind of theropod.
The idea of a dinosaur living in the Yukon is absurd, but with additional sightings in 1928 in Siberia, as well as 1999 in Fairbanks, Alaska, you can't help but wonder, what is the monster of Partridge Creek? Listen to the podcast and find out!
In our twenty-sixth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss Jerome, the legless, mysterious man who appeared on the shores of Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia in 1863.
Eight-year-old George Albright was the first to discover Jerome, and once realizing what this lump on the beach was, he immediately went for help. Once brought to the Albright residence, the family tried to figure out where he was from, and who he was, only to learn he did not speak English, French, Italian, Spanish or Latin.
For several years Jerome was taken care for by the people of Digby, Nova Scotia, but eventually, they sent him to Megeghan, Nova Scotia, a primarily Catholic community because they determined Jerome was Catholic too.
It was here that Jerome would be put on display to an audience, a roadside attraction, and became famous for being a legless wonder.
But who was Jerome? Where did he come from? And where did his legs go? Listen to the podcast and find out!
In our twenty-fifth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss Mekayla Bali's disappearance which occurred on April 12, 2016.
Bali was a 16-year-old girl from Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Considered a "homebody", "quiet", "shy" and a "good listener", she always dreamed of travelling to a city like Regina or Saskatoon. She was an introvert and spent much of her time on her phone, using anonymous texting apps to talk to different people online. One of these apps was Kik, an app known to be used by child groomers.
On April 11th, 2016, Bali told her friends she was going on a trip and asked one of them for a ride to the bank that evening. They could not help her, so she called the bank instead and deposited $25 into her account. She would tell her friends that she would have $5,000 in her account and wanted a ride to the bank the next morning, but her friends told her that the bank didn't open until 9am. Police records show she had nowhere near that amount of money in her account.
The next morning Bali would get dropped off at school, then walk right through the school and out the back door, five minutes later. Security cameras throughout Yorkton would track her movements, from pawn shops, gas stations, coffee shops, back to the highschool, and eventually to a restaurant where she would ultimately disappear.
Bali left behind little to help authorities find what happened to her. Their investigation was further delayed because of the 10-month delay the RCMP had while dealing with US social media privacy regulations. When they finally did gain access, they had more questions than answers.
What happened to Bali on that day in 2016? Was it drug-related? Did she commit suicide? Or was it a romance gone wrong? Listen to the podcast and find out!
In the early 20th century, as the world grappled with the profound loss caused by World War I and the Spanish Influenza pandemic, one Canadian couple sought to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. Thomas Glendenning Hamilton, a respected physician and member of Manitoba's Legislative Assembly, and his wife Lillian May Hamilton, turned to the unknown in search of answers. Their experiments with séances and ectoplasmic photography would become some of the most famous—and controversial—paranormal investigations in Canadian history.
The Hamiltons' journey into the supernatural began in 1919, following the death of their young son during the influenza pandemic. Overcome with grief, T. G. Hamilton remembered a conversation he'd had with a colleague years earlier about a psychic in the United States who claimed to communicate with the dead. Desperate for answers, the Hamiltons decided to explore spiritualism themselves.
Their early experiments were modest—sessions with a Ouija board in the dim light of their Winnipeg home. But as time passed, their practices became more elaborate. They installed multiple cameras around their séance room to capture any possible paranormal activity. What they documented shocked even the most skeptical observers.
The photographs the Hamiltons produced showed ghostly figures, floating faces, and strange, web-like substances emerging from the mouths and noses of their séance participants. This material, known as ectoplasm, was said to be a physical manifestation of spiritual energy. In one particularly famous image, a veil-like substance appears to extend from a medium's mouth, forming what some claim is the face of a deceased relative.
The Hamilton séances attracted widespread attention. Prominent figures from across North America, including politicians, academics, and authors, attended the sessions to witness the phenomenon firsthand. Even former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who had his own interest in spiritualism, took notice of the Hamiltons' work.
Yet, the legitimacy of ectoplasmic photography remains highly debated. Many spiritualists at the time were exposed as frauds, often using cheesecloth, gauze, or other materials to mimic ectoplasm. However, no conclusive evidence of deception was ever found in the Hamiltons' case. Their meticulous documentation, scientific approach, and insistence on multiple witnesses at every séance set them apart from many of their contemporaries.
Skeptics argue that the photographs are likely the result of clever manipulation, misinterpretation, or the power of suggestion. Supporters, however, point to the consistency of the images and the detailed records kept by the Hamiltons. The paranormal community continues to study these photographs, some of which are now housed in archives at the University of Manitoba.
Was T. G. Hamilton truly able to document the physical manifestations of the afterlife? Or were his photographs elaborate illusions, fueled by the couple’s grief and the societal fascination with spiritualism during that era?
Join us as we examine the strange case of T. G. Hamilton's Ectoplasmic Photography in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
In our twenty-fourth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss Edwin Fuhr's close encounter of the second kind, which occurred on Septemeber 1st, 1974.
Edwin Fuhr was a farmer near Langenburg, Saskatchewan and was out one morning harvesting his canola, when he rode his swather up a small hill on his property. From this vantage point, he saw five strange metallic objects in a semi-circle-like shape, all hovering silently near a slough. He approached the objects on foot, noticing their dimensions, the speed in which they were rotating, and any feelings of uneasiness he felt near them.
He then returned to his swather and waited until eventually the objects flew up and away from him, blasting him with steam.
He would return home to tell his family what he saw, only to discover time had passed. After lunch, we went out to the spot with his father to show him where the objects were hovering. It was around this time that Edwin's wife told his sister, and his sister told her husband and her husband called the RCMP.
It was after this moment that Edwin's life changed, a mass of humanity descended upon his farm.
What did Edwin see that day in 1974? Was it alien in origin? Was it a secret military aircraft? And did he really get a call from Neil Armstrong? Listen to the podcast and find out!
The Mystery of the Calgary Mummy is one of Alberta’s most perplexing cold cases—a story of unease, discovery, and unanswered questions that has haunted the community of Tuxedo Park since 1948.
It began when Alfred Pearce and his family moved into a modest house at 1805 20th Avenue NW in Calgary. From the moment they arrived, Mrs. Pearce complained of a strange, oppressive feeling in the home. She described it as a "creepy presence," like unseen eyes watching their every move. Her daughters echoed this discomfort, saying they often felt a cold sensation brushing against their skin.
The unease reached a breaking point on their first night in the house. While helping her mother with the dishes, one of the Pearce daughters screamed in terror, claiming a ghostly, disembodied hand had reached out and touched her shoulder. Alfred Pearce initially dismissed the encounter as imagination or nerves, but as he tucked the children into bed later that night, he noticed something unusual: the floorboards in the bedroom were sagging.
Curiosity and concern led Pearce to investigate further. He retrieved a crowbar and pried up the wooden boards. What he found beneath the floor made his blood run cold. Lying in a bed of ash was a mummified human corpse. The figure was clothed in a decayed leather jacket, with skin preserved by the dry, ashy conditions. Pearce immediately roused his family and rushed them out of the house before calling the authorities.
Calgary detectives Gordon Gilkes and Frank Whiteside arrived to investigate the grisly discovery. The body appeared to have been there for quite some time, and initial estimates suggested it had been hidden for nearly two decades. In the jacket pocket, detectives found a faded, crumpled letter bearing the name Thomas C. Hall—a man who had vanished without a trace in 1929.
The investigation into Hall’s death raised more questions than it answered. His brother, Wallace Hall, was brought in to identify the remains, and he confirmed that the coat matched one his brother had owned. But the circumstances of Thomas Hall's disappearance remained unclear. No signs of forced entry or struggle were ever found in the house, and no one recalled seeing him enter the property.
Theories swirled around the discovery. Some speculated that Hall had been lured to the house and murdered, with his killer using the ashes of the old coal furnace to conceal the body. Others suggested he had been involved in bootlegging during Prohibition, and that his death was connected to organized crime. Yet no arrests were ever made, and the case eventually went cold.
Even today, residents of Tuxedo Park speak of strange happenings in the house on 20th Avenue. Tenants have reported sudden cold spots, disembodied footsteps, and the sensation of being watched—echoes, perhaps, of the spirit of Thomas Hall still seeking justice.
Who killed Thomas Hall? Why was his body hidden beneath the floorboards for nearly two decades? And what exactly happened in that small Calgary home in 1929?
Join us as we uncover the chilling details of The Mystery of the Calgary Mummy in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
The Legend of the Ogopogo has captivated Canadians for generations, blending Indigenous oral history with modern-day sightings of a mysterious creature said to inhabit British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake. Known originally to the Syilx (Okanagan) people as na-it-aka, or the "spirit of the water," this legendary being was believed to guard the lake and control safe passage across its waters. But is it merely folklore, or is there something more lurking beneath the surface?
The origins of the legend date back centuries. According to Syilx tradition, travelers were expected to offer gifts—often tobacco, animal meat, or other sacrifices—before crossing the lake. This gesture was believed to appease the spirit and ensure safe passage. One famous legend recounts how a visiting chief disregarded this tradition. As the chief’s canoes crossed the lake, a massive, serpentine creature emerged from the depths and capsized the boats, drowning the occupants. This cautionary tale was passed down through generations as a warning to respect the lake’s mysterious guardian.
When European settlers arrived in the region, they initially dismissed the legend as superstition. However, as the years passed, reports of an unusual creature began to surface. Early accounts described large, dark shapes gliding beneath the surface. In the early 1900s, several witnesses claimed their horses were attacked while swimming across the lake—dragged beneath the surface by something powerful and unseen. The creature was later given the whimsical name "Ogopogo" after a popular British music hall song in the 1920s, and the name stuck.
Modern sightings of the Ogopogo continue to this day. Witnesses often describe a long, serpentine creature with dark, undulating humps breaking the surface of the water. Some accounts claim the creature measures 15 to 20 feet long, while others believe it could be even larger. Multiple videos and photographs have surfaced over the years, though many have been dismissed as floating logs, waves, or groups of otters swimming in formation.
Scientists and skeptics have proposed various explanations for the sightings. Some suggest methane bubbles from the lakebed create patterns on the surface, while others argue that sturgeon—large, prehistoric-looking fish known to inhabit some Canadian lakes—might be responsible. Another theory posits that the sightings are remnants of an ancient species, possibly a form of aquatic dinosaur. Despite decades of speculation, no definitive evidence has ever been found.
The fascination with the Ogopogo has even prompted financial incentives. Over the years, several rewards have been offered for proof of the creature’s existence. In 1989, a tourism group offered $1 million for irrefutable evidence, though the prize remains unclaimed. The mystery has grown so pervasive that the British Columbia government passed legislation protecting the Ogopogo under provincial wildlife laws—just in case it does exist.
Is the Ogopogo nothing more than an enduring cultural myth, a clever tourist attraction, or an undiscovered species that defies scientific explanation? From ancient Indigenous teachings to modern sightings captured on smartphones, the mystery endures.
Join us as we explore the origins, sightings, and scientific investigations into The Legend of the Ogopogo in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
In our twenty-third episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss a crime spree that took place in London Ontario during the 1960s-1980s that left dozens dead and many more with unanswered questions.
On October 4, 1969, Jackie English needed a ride home from work. She had just gotten a second job working at The Metropolitan and her mother usually picked her up when her shift was over, as they both worked on Highway 401, on the edge of London, Ontario. However, this day, Jackie's mother was home recovering from surgery, and Jackie needed a ride. Thankfully she had made some new friends and they were going to pick her up.
She got into their car after work, and the driver closed the door behind her. Then, instead of driving back to London, the car started down the 401, away from the city, and towards Jackie's death.
Jackie's body would be found five days later, beaten, raped and naked. But the police didn't have the means to investigate her crime, and to this day the case is unsolved. Why didn't they have the time to investigate it? They were already investigating seven other women who were abducted and killed within the past two years. From 1968 - 1984, or 1959 - 1984 depending on who you ask, London Ontario had a string of serial killings, and only a handful of people were brought to justice. It is believed that there were between 6-9 serial killers in operation during this period, killing over 30 people.
But why did this happen? What was the reason? In this episode we talk about the killers, not the victims, the Chambermaid Slayer, the Mad Slasher, and the Bedroom Stranger. Lock your doors -- especially your balconies. You never know who or what might be crawling in.
The disappearance of the Jack family is one of British Columbia’s most haunting mysteries. On August 1, 1989, Doreen Jack, 26, Ronald "Ronnie" Jack, 26, and their two sons, nine-year-old Russell and four-year-old Ryan, vanished without a trace after accepting a job offer from a stranger. More than three decades later, the family’s fate remains unknown.
It all began at the First Litre Pub in Prince George, where Ronnie was approached by an unidentified man who claimed to have a lucrative short-term job opportunity. The man said that Ronnie could work at a nearby lumber mill, while Doreen could cook for the camp’s kitchen. He assured Ronnie that childcare was available for the boys and promised good pay—but there was one condition: they had to leave immediately.
Excited about the prospect of work and eager to support his family, Ronnie returned home and explained the situation to Doreen. The family quickly packed a few belongings and climbed into the stranger’s vehicle, leaving behind their apartment and their extended family without warning. Ronnie called his mother later that night to share the news and promised they would return in a few weeks—just in time for the boys to start school in September. They never came back.
In the days following their disappearance, family members grew increasingly concerned. The police were contacted, but the investigation was fraught with missteps. Witnesses who claimed to have seen the family leaving Prince George were dismissed, and crucial leads were either mishandled or ignored. Some investigators speculated that the family may have gone on an impromptu vacation, while others suggested foul play, but no concrete evidence ever emerged.
Over the years, various theories have circulated. Some believe the Jack family was lured into a human trafficking scheme, while others suspect they were victims of a targeted attack. The unknown man who approached Ronnie at the pub was never identified, and the supposed lumber mill job was never verified.
What makes the case even more unsettling is how often the family’s story slipped through the cracks. Early reports were delayed, leads were missed, and the investigation stalled repeatedly. Despite efforts to raise awareness, the Jack family’s case remains one of many unsolved disappearances in northern British Columbia—a region known for the infamous Highway of Tears.
What happened to the Jack family that night in 1989? Was it a case of opportunistic crime, or did they stumble into something far more sinister?
Join us as we unravel the mystery of The Jack Family Disappearance in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
Come celebrate Halloween the Unsolved Canadian Mysteries way, with scary stories from Dylan, Kenton and our editor Christina. Some stories are true, some are legends, and some are, well... you'll find out.
This is our first attempt at something like this, so we would love to know your thoughts, and would love to know (after you finish watching it), how would YOU end the story of the three kids?
In our twenty-second episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss Canada's oldest documented case of demonic possession, the story of Barbe Hallay of 1660.
Barbe Hallay would find employment at Beauport, New France (outside modern-day Quebec City) as a teenager. However, not long after getting her position there, a man knocked on the door, requesting her hand in marriage. His name was Daniel Vuil.
Although only 13, Hallay was old enough to consent to wedding proposals, and declined Vuil's offer. This enraged Vuil, and the story goes that he would leave the property, return home and summon demons from the depths of hell to terrorize Hallay into loving him.
This story contains some early famous high-profile Canadians, gruesome murders, spirits, demons, and a mother's love.
Come check it out for our Halloween Special!
In our twenty-first episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss The Lost Lemmon Mine.
In 1870, Joe Lemmon and Blackjack were prospecting near the North Saskatchewan River not far from Calgary, Alberta. They would find gold placer deposits along the shoreline, and quickly found the primary gold vein. After mining the gold, and filling what bags they could, they settled in for the night. When the sun rose the next morning, Blackjack was dead and Lemmon fled the camp in terror.
When Lemmon arrived back to civilization, he had the gold ore assessed and discovered he had brought back around $27,000 worth of gold and ore. That is around $700,000 today. A second prospecting party was created, but time and time again, something would happen that prevented them from finding their gold -- thus, the Curse of the Lost Lemmon Mine began.
Come listen to a story filled with gold-seeking adventurers, unexplained murders, ghosts, and a flood in 2005 that might have found clues to solving the whole thing.
The story of The Mad Trapper of Rat River is one of Canada’s most legendary and perplexing wilderness mysteries. In 1932, a man calling himself Albert Johnson sparked a massive manhunt across the unforgiving Arctic landscape, leaving behind a trail of violence, confusion, and unanswered questions. His true identity remains unknown to this day.
The ordeal began when local trappers reported someone tampering with their traplines near the Rat River in the Northwest Territories. RCMP officers visited Johnson's remote cabin to question him, but the man refused to cooperate or even speak. A few days later, when the police returned with a search warrant, Johnson opened fire through the cabin door, wounding Constable Alfred King. What followed was a violent and unprecedented pursuit through Canada’s northern wilderness.
The RCMP besieged Johnson's cabin and eventually resorted to dynamiting it, believing he had no way to escape. Yet, when officers entered the smoldering ruins, Johnson was gone. He had slipped away without a trace, leaving only footprints in the snow. The pursuit intensified, with trackers, dog teams, and even military aircraft joining the search.
For over a month, Johnson led the authorities on a relentless chase across 240 kilometers of frozen tundra. He displayed extraordinary survival skills, crossing icy rivers, scaling mountains, and evading capture despite harsh conditions and temperatures plummeting to -40°C. His ability to travel faster than the experienced Indigenous trackers astonished everyone involved.
The chase ended in a final confrontation near the Eagle River. Johnson ambushed the pursuing officers, fatally shooting Constable Edgar Millen. The RCMP, now more determined than ever, closed in on him. On February 17, 1932, after a deadly shootout, Johnson was finally killed.
When authorities examined his body, the mystery deepened. Johnson had no identification, no known associates, and no past that investigators could uncover. His fingerprints matched no records, and the origins of the stranger who had eluded capture for weeks remained unknown. He carried a substantial amount of cash, high-quality equipment, and gold teeth, suggesting he may have come from outside the region.
Speculation about Johnson's identity has persisted for decades. Some theories suggest he was a fugitive from the United States, possibly an escaped convict or a former soldier with advanced survival skills. Others believe he may have been a Scandinavian immigrant, using his bushcraft knowledge to evade capture. Modern DNA analysis has provided some leads, but his true identity remains elusive.
The story of The Mad Trapper of Rat River continues to intrigue historians, true crime enthusiasts, and conspiracy theorists alike. Was Albert Johnson a criminal on the run, a misunderstood hermit, or something more? Join us as we unravel the mystery behind this legendary fugitive in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.
In our twentieth episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, Kenton de Jong and Dylan Fairman discuss The Mad Trapper Of Sheslay.
Michael Oros, or The Mad Trapper Of Sheslay, moved to Alaska in an attempt to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War. After finding the conditions in Fairbanks too desolate, he moved south, into northern British Columbia to the abandoned mining village of Sheslay.
As time passed, Oros became more and more isolated from the world, and became more and more paranoid. He began writing about "sneak arounds" that would follow him in the shadows, and about “torture druggers,” who experimented and poisoned him.
Over several decades, Oros went from being a nuisance to a menace, but it was the disappearance of a fellow recluse, ex-Nazi Gunther Lishy, that got the police's attention. As Oros became more violent, his actions devolved further and further away from a person, and more into a monster.
Come listen to a story that is sure to make you sit up and wonder what happened that day on March 19, 1985.