MISSING: The Jack Family and the Highway of Tears
In the early morning hours of August 2nd, 1989, the Jack family packed up and left home after Ronnie Jack accepted a job offer from a mysterious stranger earlier that day.
They were last believed to be traveling along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia — a remote corridor later known as the Highway of Tears. For decades, this stretch of road has been linked to the disappearances and murders of dozens of Indigenous women and girls, many of whose cases remain unsolved.
More than 35 years later, the Jack family has never been seen again, and their disappearance remains one of Canada’s most perplexing unsolved cases.
TW: This episode contains references to violence, sexual assault, and systemic abuse against Native women and peoples. It also includes discussion of police mishandling of criminal investigations. Listener discretion is advised.
Episode Source Material
Official Reports, Government Sources & Public Records
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Jack Family Missing Persons Investigation Continues. Published September 10, 2019. Accessed December 2025.https://web.archive.org/web/20240515151959/https://bc-cb.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2113&languageId=1&contentId=65775
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Statement, Volume 9. Published September 26, 2017. Accessed December 2025.
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Smithers Hearings, Volume 6. Published September 27, 2017. Accessed December 2025.https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170927_MMIWG_Smithers_Public_Vol_6_combined.pdf
Newspaper Archives & Print Journalism
Prince George Citizen
Burns Lake Family Missing. Published August 30, 1989. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1989-08-30-01
Family Is Safe. Published September 7, 1989. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1989-09-07/-LPrince%20George%20Citizen%20-%20September%2007,%201989
Marilyn Storie. Local Family Missing for Six Years / Disappearance Still Mystery. Published April 18, 1995. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1995-04-18/-/Prince%20George%20Citizen%20-%20April%2018,%201995
Paul Strickland. Caller Hints at Fate of Jack Family. Published March 12, 1996. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1996-03-12-01
Jacks Driven Off Into Oblivion. Published March 12, 1996. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1996-03-12-01
Michelle Lang. In Search of the Jack Family. Published August 29, 1999. Accessed December 2025.http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgfp:1999-08-29-05
Hanna Peterson. PHOTOS: Age Progressions Released for Prince George's Missing Jack Family. Published August 23, 2020. Accessed December 2025.https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/photos-age-progressions-released-for-prince-georges-missing-jack-family-2658321
Relatives Launch New Search for Family Missing Since 1989. Published June 13, 2024. Accessed December 2025.https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/relatives-launch-new-search-for-family-missing-since-1989-9079769
Lake District News
Family Found. Published September 13, 1989. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/325334828
$2,000 Reward Posted. Published February 14, 1990. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/325443703
Cheryl Jahn. Police Searching for Caller of Lead on Missing Family. Published March 27, 1996. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/325304744
Flavia Nienow. Police Seek Tipster in Jack Family's Case. Published August 15, 2018. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/904801053
Priyanka Ketkar. 31 Years and Still No Information on the Missing Jack Family. Published July 29, 2020. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/899191951/
The Province
Wendy McLellan. Vanishing Act. Published August 2, 1992. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/502873677
Canadian Press. Blitz in Missing-Family Puzzle. Published August 26, 1999. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/503756541
Jason Proctor. "Somebody Out There Knows Something." Published February 13, 2000. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/505025781
Additional Newspapers
The Tribune.Missing Family Sought. Published February 8, 1990. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/326501673
Omineca Express.Police Want Tips to Find Jack's. Published March 13, 1996. Accessed December 2025.https://www.newspapers.com/image/327514679
Vancouver Sun. Stephanie Ip. Investigation Continues into 1989 Disappearance of Prince George Family. Published September 10, 2019. Accessed December 2025. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/investigation-continues-into-1989-disappearance-of-prince-george-family
Vancouver Sun. Joseph Ruttle. Relatives of Prince George Family of Four, Missing Since 1989, Mount New Search. Published June 12, 2024. Accessed December 2025. https://vancouversun.com/news/crime/relatives-prince-george-family-missing-since-1989-new-search
Burns Lake District News."All I Want Is to Find Them So I Can Have Peace," Says Mabel Jack of Her Missing Family. Published July 27, 2022. Accessed December 2025.https://www.burnslakelakesdistrictnews.com/news/all-i-want-is-to-find-them-so-i-can-have-peace-says-mable-jack-of-her-missing-family-6313278
Rossland News. Binny Paul. After 35 Years, a Vigil Remembers the Missing Jack Family. Published August 9, 2024. Accessed December 2025. https://www.rosslandnews.com/home2/after-35-years-a-vigil-remembers-the-missing-jack-family-7478498
Winnipeg Free Press. Dirk Meissner. B.C. Documents on Highway of Tears Open Wounds as Missing Women Inquiry Looms. Published November 8, 2015. Accessed December 2025.https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/2015/11/08/bc-documents-on-highway-of-tears-open-wounds-as-missing-women-inquiry-looms
Broadcast Journalism, Documentaries & Podcasts
Michelle Ghoussoub. 29 Years Ago, a Family of 4 Vanished—But RCMP Are Still Investigating. Published August 3, 2018. Accessed December 2025. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/jack-family-disappearance-1.4772972
Chantelle Bellrichard. RCMP Probe Northern B.C. Site for Young Family That Disappeared 30 Years Ago. Published July 24, 2019. Accessed December 2025. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-probe-northern-b-c-site-for-young-family-that-disappeared-30-years-ago-1.5223405
Chantelle Bellrichard. Missing Since 1989: Age-Progressed Photos Show What the Jack Family Might Look Like Today. Published August 29, 2020. Accessed December 2025. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/missing-jack-family-age-progressed-photos-1.5702888
Hanna Peterson. Vigil Remembers Missing B.C. Family 35 Years After Disappearance. Published August 3, 2024. Accessed December 2025. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/jack-family-35-year-1.7284762
Taken.The Jack Family Mystery. Season 4, Episode 1. Originally aired October 12, 2019. Accessed December 2025.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhs6mKsoUHw
Cold Case Canada Podcast. Eve Lazarus. The Missing Jack Family from Prince George. Published October 7, 2022. Accessed December 2025.https://evelazarus.com/the-missing-jack-family-from-prince-george/
Indigenous History & Background
Cheslatta Carrier Nation. The Nation.Accessed December 2025.https://www.cheslatta.com/the-nation
Indigenous Foundations. The Residential School System.Accessed December 2025.https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/the-residential-school-system/
CKPGToday.ca. Aaron Schulze. Saik'uz First Nation Declares COVID-19 Outbreak, Closes to All Visitors. Published August 28, 2021. Accessed December 2025.https://ckpgtoday.ca/2021/08/28/saikuz-first-nation-declares-covid-19-outbreak-closes-to-all-visitors/
Community Research & Online Discussions
Reddit. r/mystery. In 1989, the Jack Family Vanished After a...Accessed December 2025.https://www.reddit.com/r/mystery/comments/1ldme3x/in_1989_the_jack_family_vanished_after_a/
