Brit and Ashley Flowers/ The Highway of Tears/ 2019
The highway of tears is an infamous highway in Canada known for unsolved disappearances and murders. Since the 1960's, young women have gone missing or have been found murdered on this 450 mile stretch of highway. This particular episode follows the murder of Loren Leslie a 15 year old girl who was murdered by Cody Legebokoff on the side of Highway 16. Loren had spoken to Cody multiple times and felt that she could trust him. 27 days after speaking to Cody, Loren decided to meet him in person at her local playground. The playground is the last place that Loren was seen alive. When her body was found her clothes had been removed and had severe trauma to her head. Investigators later connect Cody to the murders of three other women. The highway of tears is the hunting ground of many serial killers including, Brian Arp, Edward Isaac, and Bobby Fowler. Because the Highway is so isolated it is the perfect spot to get away with murder. On this stretch of highway, there is a disproportionately high number of indigenous victims. In 2005 a provincially funded project known as E-Pana was launched in order to focus on the unsolved disappearances of young women along highway 16. There are over 40 young women who have fallen victim to this stretch of highway.
More indigenous women go missing along this highway than any other demographic of women. Because indigenous people get less attention from media and live a high-risk lifestyle they are more likely to go missing. The first nation communities along highway 16 are marked with high levels of poverty, lacking basic amenities like safe drinking water and public transportation. Families have no other way to get into town other than to hitchhike along highway 16 which can explain why so many indigenous women go missing. Despite being warned against the dangers of hitchhiking the women had no choice but to take the risk. There are billboards lining the highway warning hitchhikers of serial killers. The highway of tears is home to many serial killers, new ones popping up every day. Many of the Serial killers working along highway 16 are able to get away with their crimes because not enough people care about the indigenous women that go missing. Through the help of E-Pana 18 women are able to receive justice. With more awareness of these attacks from both the media and police indigenous women can receive the safety and security that they deserve.
-AH
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