CANADA Canada - Rene Gunning, 19 & Krystle Knott, 16, Edmonton, 18 Feb 2005

Details of Disappearance
is thought to be traveling with Naomi Ratcliffe, also missing from Fort St. John. They are thought to be hitchhiking. They may be traveling to the Penticton area, however this is not confirmed

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Fort St. John RCMP
Constable S.D. Hanry
(250) 787-8140

Source Information
British Columbia RCMP
Alberta RCMP

http://www.nampn.org/cases/gunning_rene.html

RCMP investigators have discovered that two British Columbia women who disappeared three years ago were last seen in West Edmonton Mall.

Rene Gunning, 22, and Krystle Knott, 19, met at the mall, befriended each other and decided to hitchhike together back home to northern British Columbia on February 18, 2005, said Cpl. Wayne Oakes.

"Given the length of time without contact, both disappearances are being treated as suspicious."

Both women are now cases in Project Kare, an RCMP task force devoted to solving killings or disappearances of people in high-risk lifestyles. Oakes said Gunning and Knott fall into that category only because of their habit of hitchhiking back and forth from Alberta to British Columbia.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080217/national/crime_missing_women_1

Project KARE:
http://www.kare.ca/

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Pierced ears and lower lip; black pants; black tank top and fishnet shirt; black boots;
white jacket​

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Additional Information:​

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Krystle KNOTT is believed to have last been at West Edmonton Mall on February 18,
2005 at which time she told her friends that she was hitchhiking back to British
Columbia. She is believed to have been with Rene GUNNING, who is also missing.
Krystle KNOTT's hair may have been dyed dark blonde or have blonde streaks.​

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Contact Information:​

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If you have any information regarding the disappearance of this person, please contact
the investigating agency using the number provided above or Crime Stoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
(AKA: Krystle VANKOUGHNETT or GOULET or LETENDRE)​

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[FONT=Arial,Bold]Scars/Marks/Tattoos: [/FONT]Cherry heart tattoo on her ankle

http://www.albertamissingpersons.ca/images/stories/Missing Persons/knott.pdf

RCMP investigators have discovered that two British Columbia women who disappeared three years ago were last seen in West Edmonton Mall.

Rene Gunning, 22, and Krystle Knott, 19, met at the mall, befriended each other and decided to hitchhike together back home to northern British Columbia on February 18, 2005, said Cpl. Wayne Oakes.

"Given the length of time without contact, both disappearances are being treated as suspicious."

Both women are now cases in Project Kare, an RCMP task force devoted to solving killings or disappearances of people in high-risk lifestyles. Oakes said Gunning and Knott fall into that category only because of their habit of hitchhiking back and forth from Alberta to British Columbia.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080217/national/crime_missing_women_1

Project KARE:
http://www.kare.ca/

http://homelessnation.org/en/node/8201

http://homelessnation.org/en/node/8201

Praying for the safe ruturn of Rene Gunning and Krystle Knott

http://fightforjustice.blogspot.com/2008/02/rene-gunning-22-and-krystle-knott-19.html

CBC News Two British Columbia women who disappeared three years ago were last seen together at West Edmonton Mall, RCMP investigators in Edmonton said on Sunday.

The RCMP-Edmonton city police task force known as Project Kare issued the information in a bid for the public's help in finding Rene Gunning, 22, and Krystle Knott, 19, both from the Fort St. John area.

The two became friends at the mall, and decided to hitchhike together back home to northern British Columbia, Cpl. Wayne Oakes said.

On Feb. 17, 2005, Gunning hitchhiked from Fort St. John and went through Grande Prairie, Alta., eventually arriving at West Edmonton Mall. Knott arrived in Edmonton around the beginning of February 2005. Police have not said what kind of transportation she used.

These two girls probably did not know each other but were thought to have hitchhiked together after meeting up at the West Edomonton Mall and were last seen together on Feb 18th 2005.

"Gunning is described as five-foot-two and weighing 111 pounds when she disappeared, police said in a release. Knott is five-foot-one and weighed 121 pounds."


"They told friends that day they would be heading to either Fort St. John or the Dawson Creek area, and that's the last known contact anyone has had with them, Oakes said"

Click to expand...

Fort St. John is North of Highway 16 and is near the Highway 97, which joins up with Hwy 16. There are other Native women missing from this area around the same time. I really think this is and was an epidemic.


Rene Gunning, 22


Krystal Knott, 19

Police have stated that these girls were not working as prostitutes.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2008/02/17/project-kare.html

These two girls probably did not know each other but were thought to have hitchhiked together after meeting up at the West Edomonton Mall and were last seen together on Feb 18th 2005.

"Gunning is described as five-foot-two and weighing 111 pounds when she disappeared, police said in a release. Knott is five-foot-one and weighed 121 pounds."


"They told friends that day they would be heading to either Fort St. John or the Dawson Creek area, and that's the last known contact anyone has had with them, Oakes said"

Click to expand...

Fort St. John is North of Highway 16 and is near the Highway 97, which joins up with Hwy 16. There are other Native women missing from this area around the same time. I really think this is and was an epidemic.


Rene Gunning, 22


Krystal Knott, 19

Police have stated that these girls were not working as prostitutes.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2008/02/17/project-kare.html

Rene's remains have been identified.

A set of human remains found in Grande Prairie last month have been identified as a 19-year-old woman.

Police say the remains of Rene Lynn Gunning were discovered on the Forestry Trunk Road, 60 kilometres south of Grande Prairie, on May 23rd by a person camping in the area.

Click to expand...

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110610/edm_gp_remains_061011/20110610/?hub=CalgaryHome

Rest in Peace, Rene.
:rose: :rose: :rose:

Is this another Highway of Tears case?

R.I.P. Rene Gunning. I don't know if this will be considered another Highway of Tears case but I believe they could be related.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Skull+identified+that+missing+woman/4931233/story.html
One of two skulls discovered last month by campers near Grande Prairie is that of a 19-year-old woman last seen at West Edmonton Mall in 2005.
Rene Gunning disappeared with 16-year-old Krystle Knott on Feb. 18, 2005. The pair had just finished a bottle of vodka near the shopping centre when they were last seen.
They told friends of plans to hitchhike to either Fort St. John or Dawson Creek, B.C.


Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Skull+identified+that+missing+woman/4931233/story.html#ixzz1OxzhcYG8

A set of human remains found near Grande Prairie last month have been identified as a 19-year-old woman who was reported missing nearly six years ago.

Police say the remains of Rene Lynn Gunning were discovered on the Forestry Trunk Road, 60 kilometres south of Grande Prairie, on May 23rd by campers in the area.

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Police reveal a second set of human remains were also located in the area, but have yet to be identified.

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/lo...m_gp_remains_061011/20110610/?hub=CalgaryHome

Updated: Fri Jun. 17 2011 10:34:06

A second set of human remains found near Grande Prairie last month have been identified as 16-year-old Krystle Ann Julie Knott.
Two sets of human remains were located on the Forestry Trunk Road, 60 kilometres south of Grande Prairie, on May 23rd by campers in the area.

(sbm)

Anyone who may have seen the two women along Highway 16 and Highway 43 between Edmonton and Forestry Trunk Road is asked to call the Project KARE tipline at 1-877-412-5273


http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l.../edm_deaths_110617/20110617/?hub=EdmontonHome

R.I.P Krystle Ann Julie Knott.

From the Project Kare website

www.projectkare.ca

Your tip(s) may be the key to solving one or more of our cases. No matter how small or insignificant you may think the information you have is we are glad to get it. As such, we have provided a number of methods listed below to contact us:

Toll Free Phone
1-877-412-KARE (5273)
Local Phone
495-KARE (5273)
Crime Stoppers
1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
Fax
780-495-2524
Mail
Project KARE
11140 - 109 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, T5G 2T4

I'm not quite sure this is connected to Highway of Tears. Although it was Rene and Krystle's plan to hitch-hike, we don't know for a fact that they did. They were last known to be at West Edmonton Mall on Feb 18, 2005, and I would be more inclined to think they may have disappeared directly from the mall, like Nina Courtepatte.

On April 3,2006, six weeks after Rene and Krystle went missing, 13 y.o. Nina also disappeared from West Edmonton Mall. She was found murdered at Edmonton Springs Golf Course, 30 km west of downtown Edmonton.

I strongly feel that the disappearance of Rene and Krystle are related to Nina's disappearance and murder. Here are my old general notes regarding Nina that may or may not relate to the disappearance of Rene and Krystle:

Nina was beaten to death on golf course; Michael Erin Briscoe, 36, gf "Cindy"; Joseph Wesley Laboucan 22, young offender nicked "Pyro" and his gf "Buffy". Buffy says Laboucan apparently bragged about being involved in prostitute's death and supposedly showed co-accused "Buffy" a severed finger he had in a freezer from a previous victim; police had asked Buffy if she had any dealings with men who went by the names Ace, Toothless Jay, Tran and Lorenzo; Pyro pled guilty in Nina's murder; Joseph Laboucan was found guilty of kidnapping, aggravated assault, and first degree murder; Michael Briscoe was acquitted; Stephanie Bird was found guilty of manslaughter; Laboucan claimed in court that he was a debt collector for the Triads and the Hells. Briscoe and Laboucan were subsequently charged with the murder of prostitute Ellie May Meyer who disappeared April 1, 2005, found in Strathcona County east of Edmonton May 6, 2005.

FWIW, one name that stands out to me as a common denominator is Naomi Lynn Ratcliffe who was the last person known to have heard from Rene Gunning and Krystle Knott after they visited West Edmonton Mall. Naomi is also quoted as knowing Joseph Laboucan.

I can't help but wonder if Rene and Krystle are the "two women" that Laboucan referred to in his first police interview:

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...3-bcf83f40876e

The other skull has been identified as belonging to Krystle

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Remains+identified+missing+Alberta+woman/4964061/story.html

Patience has posted this new info over in the thread for Krystle Knott:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60595&highlight=Krystle+Knott


May both Rene and Krystle rest in peace.

Am thinking the Forestry Trunk Rd campsite south of the Simonette River would be the Simonette River Provincial Recreation area "45 km east of Grande Prairie, then 10 km south of Hwy 43 on access road, at Goodwin Corner on Hwy 734; approx. 5 hours from Edmonton":

http://www1.travelalberta.com/searc...le=Simonette River Provincial Recreation Area

The girls disappeared in February, so highly unlikely they were camping out with anyone during an Alberta winter in minus zero temps. This appears to be a pretty remote area, probably moreso in winter.

COD not determined/released yet, but if this is a homicide, the girls may have been killed elsewhere and dumped. The Forestry Trunk Road seems a bit off the beaten path for a dumpsite in winter, when the side of a more major thoroughfare would have been easier, with a quick get-away. Am wondering if one individual perp would be able to subdue both girls, of if there is more than one perp.

Thanks to Salem for combining the threads for Rene and Krystle !!

The remote location of remains would seem to indicate the perp(s) knew the area around Grande Prairie very well.

Apparently Rene had been in Grande Prairie (Feb 17) the day before she arrived at West Edmonton Mall. Because she had hitch-hiked from FSJ with Naomi R, presumably Rene and Naomi were both in GP on Feb 17. It is also stated that "they may be traveling to the Penticton area, however this is not confirmed".

If Rene and Naomi originally planned to go to Penticton BC, when was the plan changed to go to West Edmonton Mall instead? Was that change of plan initiated in Grande Prairie on Feb 17? Who might they have met up with in Grande Prairie? When they left WEM supposedly with a plan to hitch-hike back to Fort St. John or Dawson Creek, did they make contact with whomever they had met in GP on Feb 17?

It seems there was a switch of relationships along the way ... Rene and Naomi initially travelling together, meeting up with Krystle Knott and Sarah McLeod, and then Rene and Krystle end up together with their last known contact to be via a phone call with Naomi and Sarah in which they indicated their plan to hitch-hike home. I wonder where Naomi and Sarah were when that last phone call was received.

I am suspicious of Naomi's stated acquaintance with Joseph Laboucan. Does anyone recall if any of the perps in Nina's death lived in Grande Prairie? I'll see what i can dig up there.

I also question an original plan of going to Penticton ... I can't think of anything in Penticton in February that would be an attraction to two young girls, so am wondering if they knew someone there. (Thinking of Penticton and campsites also reminds me of Travis Vader's connections in Summerland BC).

Missing girls planned to hitch to B.C.

EDMONTON - The last time Naomi Ratcliffe saw Rene Gunning and Krystle Knott, the pair had just polished off a 26-ounce bottle of vodka and were planning to hitchhike home to northern British Columbia from West Edmonton Mall.

By The Edmonton JournalFebruary 19, 2008

Click to expand...

full article at:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&source=www.google.ca