Vigil for missing Nanaimo, B.C., woman continues 16 years after her disappearance

Sixteen years ago, over the Canada Day long weekend, 21-year-old Lisa Marie Young went missing in Nanaimo, B.C., after a night out with friends.

No arrests were ever made and her case remains unsolved.

"It's been really hard on the family," said her aunt, Carol Frank.

Every year, on the anniversary of her disappearance, Young's mother Joanne Young held a vigil for her daughter. Joanne passed away last year, but the vigil will still take place.

"That's what my sister wanted, for people to not forget Lisa and other missing people around us," Frank told Jason D'Souza, host of CBC's All Points West.

"It might trigger somebody's memory or somebody to come forward."

Young had been at a local bar until closing time on June 30, 2002. She left with some friends to go to a house party and they caught a ride from another man, someone the group had just met.

The last time Young was seen she was with the driver of the car. No one has heard from her since. 

Young's mother had been the main point of contact with investigators, Frank said. She and other family members met with them recently.

"They said that they are still following leads," Frank said. "It brought comfort to my dad because he believes they weren't doing anything."  

'Epidemic' of missing women

Frank is organizing the annual vigil with Cyndy Hall, who knew Young in passing and had mutual friends with her.

"It's coming up to 16 years and that's a really long time to not have your loved one and to not have answers," Hall said.

She said she hopes the vigil brings awareness about Young's case as well as other missing people.

"It's making people realize that there is an epidemic of missing and murdered women and girls in Canada," Hall said. "We should all care as a community."

The march and vigil starts at 1 p.m. Saturday outside the Nanaimo police station.

With files from All Points West.

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