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RCMP searching B.C. property for remains that may be missing Red Deer woman

Police are playing down speculation their search of a rural Prince George acreage is connected with the so-called Highway of Tears murders in northern B.C.
Nicole Hoer
Nicole Hoar is is shown in this undated handout photo. RCMP are reported to have stated that they have possibly "but can't be certain" that they have found the location of her remains as they search a farm property near Prince George

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Police were playing down speculation Friday that their search of a rural Prince George acreage is connected with the so-called Highway of Tears murders.

RCMP investigators descended on a two-hectare property west of Prince George on Thursday in connection with what they called a “historical homicide,” Cpl. Annie Linteau said.

“I need to point out that we are searching the property for remains of only one person,” she said.

“At least we have no information that we are searching for more than one person.”

Linteau said officers from the RCMP’s unsolved-homicide unit as well as forensic identification experts and other specialists are scouring the acreage in the Isle Pierre community west of the city.

“We are searching everything but the main residence, which consists of a mobile home,” said Linteau. “There’s small outbuildings such as sheds and tents, a motor home that will be subject of this search as well. ”

“We are expecting that this search will be taking several days still.”

Police obtained a search warrant for the property as part of a continuing investigation, said Linteau, but would not give details on what pointed them to it.

She also would not confirm they’re looking for the remains of Nicole Hoar, a Red Deer tree planter who disappeared in June 2002 while apparently hitchhiking along Highway 16.

Hoar’s parents could not be reached but her father, Jack Hoar, told the news web site Opinion250.com that RCMP had advised him they may have a location for his 25-year-old daughter’s remains.

Since 1990, at least nine women, most of them aboriginal, have vanished or were killed while hitchhiking the route that has been dubbed the Highway of Tears.

“At this point there is nothing to suggest that remains of more than one person could be located here,” said Linteau.

“We have to be cognizant of the fact there could be more than one person but we’re not expecting that.”