A vigil was held at Strathcona Park on August 2 to recognize and raise awareness for the 35th anniversary of the case of the missing Jack family. 35 years ago in the area of the park, the family of Ronnie, Doreen, and their two sons Russell and Ryan were believed to be seen leaving their home with an unknown male in a dark 4×4 pickup truck, and have not been heard from since.
“It’s a lot of pain. It’s a lot of wondering, like your family is gone. You don’t know what happened,” said Doreen’s younger sister Marlene Jack.
“I love my sister with all my heart. I miss her. She was more like a mother figure for us, she always looked out for us. (…) If this didn’t happen, I would still be in contact with her,” Marlene continued.
The vigil was held not only to show support for the Jack family, but also raise awareness for the investigation, which remains ongoing.
“We’re appealing to the community and anyone with any information to come forward. That’s why it’s so important to come to these events and let people know that we are dedicated to the case. We have investigators in place, but we really need the help of the community and the public to help us move this forward and to bring some closure to the families,” said RCMP Staff Sergeant Ron Palta with RCMP Major Crimes.
Marlene and other members of the Jack family have been key figures in the investigation, as Marlene explained she’s been continuing to work on finding whatever information she can. Palta says the work being done by the community alongside the RCMP’s investigation has helped find new information not known before.
