A Young Woman With Plans for the Future
Lisa Marie Young was 21 years old when she disappeared from Nanaimo, British Columbia, in the early hours of June 30, 2002.
Lisa was the eldest child and only daughter of Don Young and Marlene “Joanne” Martin. She had grown up in Nanaimo with her two younger brothers, Brian and Robin, and remained very close to her family.
Those who knew Lisa remembered her as confident, energetic, and independent. She was described as someone who stood out in a crowd, with a personality that was difficult to overlook. She cared about fitness, followed a vegetarian lifestyle, and enjoyed rollerblading along the waterfront.
At the time she disappeared, Lisa’s life seemed to be moving forward. She was preparing to move into her own apartment in northern Nanaimo, something she was genuinely excited about. She was also due to begin a new call-centre job within days and had been thinking about continuing her education. One of her ambitions was to eventually become a television sports broadcaster.
There was no indication that Lisa was preparing to walk away from her life.
The Last Night
On June 29, Lisa left her parents’ home at around 11 p.m. to spend the night out with friends. She went to a nightclub, where she and her friends met Christopher William Adair.
Adair later offered Lisa and an acquaintance, Dallas Hulley, a ride to a house party in an older red Jaguar. From there, the group eventually went to another party in the Cathers Lake area.
As the night continued, Lisa became hungry. Adair offered to take her to get something to eat.
That decision would become the last known chapter of Lisa’s night.
At approximately 4:30 in the morning, Dallas Hulley’s phone rang. It was Lisa.
According to Hulley’s later account, Lisa told him that Adair was not taking her home. She said they were sitting in a driveway on Bowen Road and that she was becoming frustrated and wanted to leave.
It was the last known communication from Lisa.
Her cellphone was later traced to the Departure Bay area of Nanaimo. After that, there was no confirmed contact from her.
A Disappearance Treated as Foul Play
When Lisa failed to come home, her family initially hoped there might be an innocent explanation. But as the hours passed, their concern grew.
On July 1, her parents began contacting people who might have seen her. They eventually contacted the Nanaimo RCMP. The early response became a source of lasting frustration for the family, who said they were initially told that they needed to wait before Lisa could be treated as officially missing.
Police later became increasingly concerned. By July 10, RCMP publicly stated that they believed Lisa had likely been the victim of foul play.
Searches were carried out in areas around Nanaimo, but nothing was found.
Investigators also focused on the man who had been driving the Jaguar.
In July 2002, Adair was questioned by police. Lisa’s mother was later brought to a meeting with him. She asked him directly if he knew where her daughter was. According to her account, his response was that he could not tell her and that he was sorry.
No charges were laid against him in connection with Lisa’s disappearance. Police described him as a person of interest rather than publicly establishing that he was responsible for what happened.
The Jaguar was eventually located and examined by investigators before being released. It was later sold by its owner’s grandmother.
Lisa’s family, meanwhile, continued searching.
A Family That Refused to Stop Looking
Lisa’s relatives and members of her Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation community organized searches across Vancouver Island. Volunteers travelled long distances to participate, and divers searched the waters around Colliery Dam Park.
Posters were distributed throughout the region, businesses donated to the search effort, and a reward was raised for information.
In 2003, divers conducted another underwater search after Lisa’s family received information from a psychic. Nothing connected to Lisa was discovered.
Over the years, numerous rumours circulated claiming that Lisa’s body had been found in different communities. Police repeatedly rejected those reports, and the false claims caused additional distress for her family.
Her loved ones never accepted that silence meant the search should end.
New Searches, New Information
More than a decade after Lisa disappeared, the case remained open.
In December 2020, Nanaimo RCMP carried out searches at several locations, including areas near Morrell Nature Sanctuary and a property close to Colliery Dam.
Then, in June 2021, investigators publicly confirmed that the case was still an active investigation.
Cpl. Markus Muntener said police had received new and historical information and had conducted numerous searches during the previous year. Those searches included the use of ground-penetrating radar and a police dog, with additional searches planned.
Investigators said the file contained approximately 15,000 documents and hundreds of witnesses.
Despite all of that work, nobody has been arrested in connection with Lisa’s disappearance, and her remains have never been located.
In February 2022, an anonymous donor from the United States offered a US$50,000 reward for information that could lead investigators to Lisa’s remains. Police said they hoped the reward might encourage someone who knew something to finally come forward.
A Case That Has Never Been Forgotten
Lisa’s disappearance has remained deeply connected to the broader issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
Her family has repeatedly criticized the early handling of the investigation and the communication they received from police. Lisa’s grandfather, Chief Moses Martin, later spoke about the case during Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Her family’s own searches, their concerns about the police response, and the lack of answers have all become part of Lisa’s story.
Since 2003, friends, relatives, and supporters have gathered around the anniversary of her disappearance for the “Walk for Lisa,” keeping her name visible in the community.
Lisa’s mother, Marlene, continued searching for answers for years. She died in 2017 without knowing what had happened to her daughter.
Dallas Hulley, the last known person to speak with Lisa that night, also died in 2018.
But Lisa’s family and supporters have continued to ask the same question:
Where is Lisa Marie Young?
More than two decades after she disappeared, that question remains unanswered. Her case continues to be investigated as a homicide, but Lisa herself has never been found.
Until her remains are located and the circumstances of that night are finally established, the story of Lisa Marie Young remains unfinished.
This story is based on publicly available information and reported facts. It has been independently written and presented for informational purposes. Images, if any, belong to their respective owners.