The Highway of Tears: Unsolved Disappearances and Dark Theories

What if a single road held decades of unanswered questions and heartbreak?

Welcome to the Highway of Tears—Highway 16 in British Columbia—where over 40 women, mostly Indigenous, have disappeared or

been murdered since 1970.

This isn’t just a tragic coincidence.

It’s a chilling pattern that has haunted families and communities for generations.

Why this road?

Why these women?

And why have so few answers emerged?

Let’s unravel the disturbing truths behind this infamous stretch of highway.

The victims share haunting similarities: young, female, often Indigenous, and many were last seen hitchhiking.

In remote areas with little public transport, hitchhiking was often the only option.

But predators knew this too.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) initially dismissed many cases, labeling them as runaways.

This systemic neglect, rooted in racism and indifference, allowed the disappearances to continue largely unchecked.

Families were left to investigate on their own, often receiving little to no support from authorities.

One of the most disturbing aspects is the lack of resolution.

Despite decades of disappearances, only a handful of cases have been solved.

Some believe a serial killer—or multiple—may be responsible.

Others point to human trafficking rings exploiting the isolation of the region.

Theories also suggest police complicity or cover-ups.

The truth remains elusive, but the pattern is undeniable.

Each unsolved case adds to a growing sense of injustice and fear that still grips the communities along

the highway.

In 2006, the RCMP launched Project E-Pana to investigate 18 of the cases, later expanding to 29.

But progress has been slow, and critics argue the effort came far too late.

Meanwhile, Indigenous activists and families have tirelessly pushed for national attention.

Their advocacy led to the 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which concluded

that Canada’s treatment of Indigenous women amounts to genocide.

Still, many feel justice remains out of reach.

The Highway of Tears is more than a crime scene—it’s a symbol of systemic failure.

It reveals how racism, neglect, and indifference can allow horror to persist in plain sight.

While some awareness has grown, the disappearances haven’t stopped.

Real change demands more than inquiries—it requires action, accountability, and a commitment to protect the most vulnerable.

Until then, the highway remains a haunting reminder of lives lost and justice delayed.

The question is: how many more?