A Friend Never Forgets

Several years ago I met a man named Wayne Leng. He had fallen into the world of the missing because of a friend who had gone missing in 1998. Through this ironic connection to the lost, Wayne bacame and remains one of my closest friends. A decade ago we knew a story was unfolding in Vancouver, Canada. A story more sinister than we possibly have imagined. Wayne's friend, Sarah de Vries, was one of 69 missing women.

During Wayne's search for Sarah, he created a web-site, MissingPeople.net (www.MissingPeople.net) to help bring focus to all of the missing women. It worked! In fact - Wayne received one the first tips that suggested a suspect, he passed along to officials. All of the disappearances were soon blamed on a Vancouver area pig farmer named Robert Willy Pickton.

The general feeling was that the local authorities were not taking the case with enough seriousness. The irony was that the missing women were for the most part drug addicted prostitutes. Officials felt that the women simply moved on to other areas, living as transients. But people like Wayne who knew these women best knew better. Most were certain that there was something terribly wrong.

Early on the media also had little interest in the unfolding events. Finally, Lindsay Kines, a reporter with the Vancouver Sun came out with an article called "Missing On The Mean Streets" and that is what cast the events into the spotlight.

Pickton seemed to have picked a most vulnerable group of people possible form the community. The fact that these women were prostitutes very likely delayed the early search efforts. After more clues surfaced, Pickton was arrested in 2002.

The search for remains at the Pickton Pig Farm yielded around 200,000 DNA samples Some 378,000 cubic yards of soil have been excavated. At one time 103 anthropologists, a dozen forensic experts worked with around 100 investigators.

Prior to the trial, Robert Pickton had been charged with 27 counts of first degree murder, (eventually reduced to 26.) The charges were to be split into two trials due to the massive amount of evidence, witnesses and the chance that the trial would take up to two years

The first trial focusing on 6 murder charges began in January of 2007. We wondered if Pickton would be charged with murder for all of the 69 missing women. Would he be found to be one of the most deadly and horrific serial killers in history?

The trial ended with 6 second degree murder charges. Thirty-nine women are still missing and the Joint Missing Women Task Force investigation continues still today.

Wayne Leng tells me that he feels fortunate to have been able to attend the jury deliberations for the verdicts, thanks to some of his very dear friends and family members of the victims.
Many questions have been answered, but many more exist. It has been over 10 years since Sarah de Vries disappeared.

Wayne still struggles with what really drove Sarah de Vries to the streets. Why did Sarah with so much potential, so much promise and so loved end up as she did? The same questions echo throughout the loved ones of all these women.

What can be done to minimize the chances that women such as Sarah will end up on the streets? Did this event help to bring about change?

The crown and defence are both awaiting the outcome of their appeals and it will be decided after that whether a second trial on the remaining 20 charges will take place. May justice prevail.

"I don't have a lot of hope for change in society, but one thing I am certain of, is that 1st., change must start in the home."
- Wayne Leng

Past and present events in the ongoing investigation and trial can be found on Wayne Leng's website www.MissingPeople.net

If you have any information on the topics I post, then please leave me a comment, email me at SleuthTheTruth@gmail.com or call my Tip Line at 206-279-9993 .