🚨 Missing Man in Sun Peaks, British Columbia – Ryan Shtuka, 20 – Last Seen February 17, 2018
COLD CASE – Missing Since 2018
The disappearance of Ryan Shtuka remains one of the most perplexing and emotional cold cases in Canadian history. The 20-year-old from Beaumont, Alberta vanished without a trace after leaving a house party on Burfield Drive in Sun Peaks, British Columbia, in the early hours of February 17, 2018. Despite seven years of searching, no answers have been found.
Ryan was a seasonal lift operator at Sun Peaks Resort. He arrived on December 1, 2017, hoping to spend the winter snowboarding and enjoying life in the mountains. He was described as six feet tall, 180 lbs, with blond hair and brown eyes. Friends said he was intelligent, loyal, funny, and “imperfectly perfect.”
On the evening of February 16, Ryan attended a silent-disco event with friends before going to a house party on Burfield Drive. Around 2:10 a.m., he put on his coat and shoes and was believed to be heading home on foot. His friends, who had already begun the short walk back, thought he was right behind them. He never arrived.
The temperature that night dropped to –26 °C, and snow was falling heavily. When Ryan didn’t show up for work later that day, friends became alarmed and contacted his family. That evening, his parents, Heather and Scott Shtuka, learned that their son was missing. They immediately travelled to Sun Peaks.
“We sat at the command centre all day and watched waves of volunteers come in and out,” Heather recalled. “We had no idea what to expect.” Over the next few weeks, hundreds of people — including RCMP officers, Kamloops Search and Rescue teams, dive units, and volunteers from Alberta and BC — combed the resort’s forests, ravines, and trails. But there was nothing: no footprints, no scent trail, and no personal belongings.
Even after spring thaw, when the snow melted, not a single clue appeared. Search and Rescue officials initially theorized that Ryan might have fallen into a gully or snow-covered ravine, yet nothing was found when the terrain became visible. Former RCMP investigator Bryan Smith, who joined the search at the family’s request, later stated that after interviewing one of Ryan’s friends, his instincts changed. “My gut told me that this was most likely a homicide, not just a missing person,” he said. RCMP, however, maintain there is still no evidence of foul play.
Over the years, multiple theories have circulated — from accidental death to abduction, hit-and-run, or foul play. Ryan’s family refuses to indulge speculation and continues to focus on facts. “People ask what’s new,” Heather said. “And we tell them — the same information we received on February 17, 2018, is the same information we have today.”
Since 2018, the Shtuka family has returned to Sun Peaks several times a year to continue searching. Volunteers from the Search, Recovery and Detection K9 team also revisit the area whenever possible. “It’s really hard,” Heather admits. “Seven years of life has passed — trees, leaves, growth — the terrain has changed completely. But we won’t give up.”
The investigation remains open. The national non-profit Please Bring Me Home has been assisting with tip-line analysis and theories. Investigator Sue Brown confirmed that their team continues to receive new information. “When someone vanishes into thin air, it’s difficult to say what happened. There isn’t a single piece of physical evidence pointing to what may have happened,” she said.
Ryan’s parents stay in regular contact with Kamloops RCMP. “They’ve been very open with us,” said Scott. “Any credible tip, they review and share what they can. We know it’s still being worked on.”
Heather Shtuka summarized their mission: “The awareness piece is the one thing we can control — continuing to advocate, continuing to bring attention to Ryan.” Their Facebook community of more than 70,000 people continues to support them in keeping his memory alive. The family also organizes an annual ski-run event in Ryan’s name each February.
📌 Description
- Name: Ryan Shtuka
- Age at disappearance: 20
- Date of birth: March 17, 1997
- Missing since: February 17, 2018
- Missing from: Sun Peaks, British Columbia, Canada
- Height: 6′0″ (182 cm)
- Weight: 180 lbs (81.6 kg)
- Hair: Blond
- Eyes: Brown
- Clothing: Dark jeans, grey-white shirt, blue coat, burgundy baseball cap
📞 How to Help
If you have any information about Ryan Shtuka’s disappearance, please contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or Please Bring Me Home at 226-702-2728 / tips@pleasebringmehome.com.
🔗 Sources
- MissingKids.ca – Ryan Shtuka
- StrangeOutdoors.com – The Mysterious Disappearance of Ryan Shtuka
- CFJCToday – Into Thin Air: Family Steadfast in Push to Find Their Son
- Castanet Kamloops – Seven Years Later Reflection by Heather Shtuka
👉 What You Can Do
Ryan’s story still echoes across Canada. Please share this post, talk about his case, and keep his name alive. Awareness saves lives — and even one share can reach someone who knows something.
Discover more missing-person cases at CanadaMissing.ca.
Subscribe to our newsletter | Support us on Ko-fi | Join The Conversation On Facebook
