It’s Saturday, February 17th, 2018 at roughly 2:00 am. 20 year old Ryan Shtuka is at a house party on Burfield Drive in Sun Peaks, British Columbia. Sun Peaks is a resort town 56 kilometres (~35 miles) northeast of Kamloops. Ryan has worked there as a seasonal lift operator since the 1st of December. Ryan grew up in an upper middle class family in Beaumont, Alberta which is immediately south of Edmonton. He played hockey since childhood and snowboarded every winter. Living in a ski resort is a dream for him. He had bragged to his father that he snowboarded for 36 days straight and had completed his first back flip on a snowboard.
Ryan’s friend Chris is leaving the party with his girlfriend. Ryan and Chris both work for the resort and rent rooms in the same house on Sun Peaks Road which is only 250 metres (~820 feet) from the house party as the crow flies. If one walks northeast to the intersection of Burfield Drive and Sun Peaks Road, and then turns west, it is a 700 metre walk. That’s less than half a mile, but it might be unnecessary. Between the two streets is a snowy forested stretch with a paved and plowed walking path. Cutting through and taking the path is barely more than 250 metres.
Chris and his girlfriend leave at approximately 2:10 am. Ryan is putting on his light jacket and boots as they walk out the door. They take the long route rather than blazing a trail through the snow-covered forested stretch. When they reach the intersection, they notice Ryan is not following them. They assume he hasn’t left the party yet. They’re not worried. Ryan is 186 centimetres (6’1”) tall and weighs ~80 kilograms (180 lbs). He’s an athlete who drinks and parties regularly. He can take care of himself.
Ryan doesn’t show up for his shift the next morning. His boss knows his housemates and begins calling them. They realise he never made it home. Calls to his phone go straight to voicemail. After confirming he didn’t stay at the site of the house party, they call local hospitals. The hospitals tell them to call the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment. Uncharacteristically, the RCMP take the matter seriously. The previous night had reached lows of -26°C (-15°F) and there was around 15 centimetres (~6 inches) of snow fall. They alert local search and rescue. Being a popular tourist destination, the area has a well staffed and funded search and rescue organisation that is soon able to mobilise dozens of professionals and volunteers.
RCMP investigators interview Chris, his girlfriend, everyone at the party, people who were at the bar Ryan and Chris had visited for a silent disco on the night of the 16th, they knock on ever door in the neighbourhood. No meaningful leads are found. Everyone agrees that Ryan put on his coat and boots at 2:10 am and left to catch up with Chris.
Ryan’s parents drive in from Beaumont and are soon all over local news. They’re respectable people. His dad is a successful small business owner and his mother is good at public speaking. The news coverage spreads across the country and people from all over Western Canada turn up to volunteer. They find nothing. The initial assumption is that Ryan cut through the forested patch to save time since he really was dressed for the weather, and fell into a snow well at the base of a tree. Every tree is checked. They find nothing. Tracking dogs are brought in. They find nothing. After a few days of searching, the RCMP urge all local residents to check their garages and sheds. Cadaver dogs are brought in. They find nothing.
Not a trace of Ryan is found. The search is called off until spring. People who go missing during the winter are often found when the snow finally melts. It’s not at all uncommon. The freezing temperatures delay decomposition and its odours, new snowfall masks scent trials. Weeks after his disappearance, a text from Ryan’s phone comes through to Chris. It’s timestamped 2:30 am on the 17th and says he’s right behind them. Attempts to ping his phone and use cell towers to track it are unsuccessful. Searches resume months later when the snow melts. They find nothing.
By this point Ryan’s parents have given up their lives in Beaumont and permanently relocated to Sun Peaks. They appear on news stories, podcasts, and even a documentary dedicated to their son’s case. The closest thing to a worthwhile tip that comes in is a guy who lives on Burfield Drive claiming that he once heard someone yell “get in the fucking car” on what he thinks was the night Ryan went missing at around 2:00 am. No one else heard it of course.
I drove through the area where Ryan went missing last week. The missing persons billboards are still up and maintained throughout the region. According to his parents and police, not a single trace of him has ever been found. Every tip sent in was a dead end. He simply vanished that night.
Missing in rural British Columbia
Not First Nations
Tim Horton’s may or may not be involved