CANADA Canada - Charles Horvath-Allan, 20, British, Kelowna, BC, 26 May 1989

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Aug 18 2020
Death certificate granted in cold case
''The family of man who went missing more than three decades ago while visiting Kelowna has been granted a measure of closure.

A judge in London has granted a death certificate for Charles Horvath.

Horvath’s mother Denise Allan made the application, which was granted on Aug. 14 by the Royal Courts of Justice Chancery Division London, England.

The claim required a notice to run in this newspaper months ago, asking if anyone wants to intervene in the case by coming forward with information that he was still alive.''

“I know that someone murdered Charles,” she said during a news conference at Kelowna RCMP headquarters. “His remains are out there somewhere. I know there are people out there in Kelowna who know what happened to Charles and are afraid to come forward. I’m appealing to them personally.”


''Allan also made it clear she was no longer after vengeance or justice. She simply wanted the closure of finding Horvath’s remains and burying them beside his grandmother in a cemetery in Cambridge, England.

“I just seek answers,” she said. “I’ll never understand what my son did to deserve such a violent end, but I want you to know I forgive you.”
 
31 Aug 2020
Fresh hope in hunt for British backpacker who vanished in Canada 31 years ago | Daily Mail Online
32595634-8681045-image-a-20_1598866729510.jpg

32595640-8681045-image-a-21_1598866738857.jpg


''His mother, Denise, 71, (pictured with Charles) who fears she will 'go to her grave' without knowing what happened to her son, has made 16 trips to Canada to uncover what happened

Charles Horvath-Allan (pictured), who would be 52 this month, was last seen in May 1989 on the Tiny Tent Town campsite in Kelowna, British Columbia

''The mother of a British backpacker who vanished in Canada 31 years ago has been given fresh hope after a cold-case unit revealed it was investigating the disappearance.

Charles Horvath-Allan, who would be 52 this month, was last seen in May 1989 on the Tiny Tent Town campsite in Kelowna, British Columbia.

His mother, Denise, 71, who fears she will 'go to her grave' without knowing what happened to her son, has made 16 trips to Canada to uncover what happened.''

''Leeds Beckett University in West Yorkshire are launching a cold-case unit to investigate the disappearance and try to uncover new leads.

After hearing about the new investigation, Denise said: 'I'm absolutely thrilled and privileged that they are taking on my Charles' case, I hope it will provide me with answers on the fate of my son.

'To not know has been cruel, it has been the worst part.''
''She believes that Charles could have been murdered by a gang similar to Hells Angels, who were said to have moved to the same campsite as Charles shortly before he went missing.''

''Kirsty Bennett, a lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, is launching the cold case unit from September for criminology students.''
 
Snipped from an article discussing the cases of four missing men. BBM

Ex-murder detective is helping families 'living on a rollercoaster to hell'
Leeds Beckett university are taking on the case of Halifax man, Charles Horvath-Allan, who went missing while backpacking in Canada.

Leeds lecturer, Kirsty Bennett, who formerly worked for West Yorkshire’s major crime, said: “The unit will follow the same format as a major incident room, and the skills the students will bring can hopefully identify possible areas of development in Charles’ case.”

Last week Charles was officially declared dead, after vanishing aged 20. He was last seen on a campsite in May 1989.

His mother D. H.-A., 71, has been left emotionally and financially devastated by three decades of searching for her only child.

The retired beauty salon owner from Richmond in London, has made 15 trips to Kelowna, in British Columbia.

The mum, who starred in the Missing People Choir on Britain’s Got Talent, said: “The lives of my family have been devastated, surviving thirty-one years without answers; it’s been like living on a rollercoaster to hell.

“The torment, loss and pain of a child missing is unimaginable, especially thousands of miles away from home across the ocean at the other side of the world.

“I will search for my young son until the day I die. “

Talking about the presumption of death hearing last week, she said: “I wanted to scream to the judge ‘he can’t be dead’.”

The mum says she has received little support from Canadian or British police despite her many pleas.

In the end she had to turn detective herself and during one of her visits in 1992, two anonymous notes were sent to her hotel.

The first one said: “Dear Mrs A. I seen your add in the paper looking for your son. I saw him in tiny tent town May 26. We were partying and two people knocked him out but he died. His body is in the lake by the bridge.”

The mum paid out thousands for specialist underwater equipment and volunteer divers carried out a search.

Then another note arrived saying they were looking under the wrong part of the bridge.

On day six of the search the volunteers found a body of a male.

As the horrified mum waited for confirmation and her husband flew out to join her, police dumped her in a psychiatric unit.

“I was exhuasted I was manhandled into an ambulance, my mobile phone taken from me and I was taken to hospital,” she said.

“I’d had three hours sleep a night for six weeks.

“I was in a concrete room like a cell and there were very poorly people walking up the hallways.

“When I was alseep they allowed people into my room to leave funeral director cards.

“I refused to speak to a psychiatrist. I told them ‘I’ve got a broken heart not a broken mind.”

Eventually she was told the body was not her son but a gentleman in his late 60s who had taken his own life.

“It’s just amazing that finally someone is going to help.”
 
Last edited:
YaYa_521 said:
Snipped from an article discussing the cases of four missing men. BBM

Ex-murder detective is helping families 'living on a rollercoaster to hell'
Leeds Beckett university are taking on the case of Halifax man, Charles Horvath-Allan, who went missing while backpacking in Canada.

Leeds lecturer, Kirsty Bennett, who formerly worked for West Yorkshire’s major crime, said: “The unit will follow the same format as a major incident room, and the skills the students will bring can hopefully identify possible areas of development in Charles’ case.”

Last week Charles was officially declared dead, after vanishing aged 20. He was last seen on a campsite in May 1989.

His mother Denise Horvath-Allan, 71, has been left emotionally and financially devastated by three decades of searching for her only child.

The retired beauty salon owner from Richmond in London, has made 15 trips to Kelowna, in British Columbia.

The mum, who starred in the Missing People Choir on Britain’s Got Talent, said: “The lives of my family have been devastated, surviving thirty-one years without answers; it’s been like living on a rollercoaster to hell.

“The torment, loss and pain of a child missing is unimaginable, especially thousands of miles away from home across the ocean at the other side of the world.

“I will search for my young son until the day I die. “

Talking about the presumption of death hearing last week, she said: “I wanted to scream to the judge ‘he can’t be dead’.”

The mum says she has received little support from Canadian or British police despite her many pleas.

In the end she had to turn detective herself and during one of her visits in 1992, two anonymous notes were sent to her hotel.

The first one said: “Dear Mrs Allan. I seen your add in the paper looking for your son. I saw him in tiny tent town May 26. We were partying and two people knocked him out but he died. His body is in the lake by the bridge.”

The mum paid out thousands for specialist underwater equipment and volunteer divers carried out a search.

Then another note arrived saying they were looking under the wrong part of the bridge.

On day six of the search the volunteers found a body of a male.

As the horrified mum waited for confirmation and her husband flew out to join her, police dumped her in a psychiatric unit.

“I was exhuasted I was manhandled into an ambulance, my mobile phone taken from me and I was taken to hospital,” she said.

“I’d had three hours sleep a night for six weeks.

“I was in a concrete room like a cell and there were very poorly people walking up the hallways.

“When I was alseep they allowed people into my room to leave funeral director cards.

“I refused to speak to a psychiatrist. I told them ‘I’ve got a broken heart not a broken mind.”

Eventually she was told the body was not her son but a gentleman in his late 60s who had taken his own life.

“It’s just amazing that finally someone is going to help.”
Click to expand...
This case is in my region of the Okanagan and I'm glad it is being relooked at. I posted this information on my twitter where his mom also posts. I'm still thinking he could be in the lake where that anonymous letter directed LE years later. It would be nice to get a going by those concerned to conduct another search there, perhaps, but that is such a rollercoaster and iffy effort. In the last water search, imagine thinking a body found in the lake must be your son but it turns out to be someone else. Nightmare.
 
A mother’s tale: my son has been missing for 31 years. Where is he? | Times2 | The Times

The last time Denise Horvath-Allan heard from her son was on May 11, 1989. Charles, who was 20 and from Yorkshire, had been travelling across Canada since the year before. His mother had given him an open-ended ticket as an early 21st birthday present and he had been exploring and working in the country of his birth, stopping off to see his father, who lived in Ontario, before arriving in Kelowna, a laid-back city that sits amid mountains and pine forests on Okanagan Lake in British Columbia.
 
The Charles Horvath Canadian disappearance (featured on UM) is especially poignant/sad. The interview(s) with his mother were difficult to watch; they obviously had a close relationship, and I find it bizarre that he would just cut off all contact with her - unless he was actually dead. In addition, he & his mother had made plans for him to go to Hong Kong & celebrate a birthday with her & his step-father later in 1989. But, this never occurred given his disappearance.

Several points & opinions:

-I do believe that his disappearance happened in May 1989. That was the last time anyone reported definitively seeing him.

-The mention of July 1989 being the last time his friend (who lived with her mother in an apartment) heard from him may have been an error re: the date. Or, maybe the date was correct & someone who claimed he was Charles called her from the downstairs intercom - but it wasn't actually; note that she didn't actually see him, just heard him. Another possibility: she may have mis-identified the person asking to come up to the apt. as being Charles; she had extended family members over & was probably distracted by them/the family dinner.

In any case, I don't find it that plausible that Charles disappeared for two months (from May to July 1989), then came back just to see his friend - then disappeared again.

-There was a note that his mother received which stated that Charles was last seen at a raucous party @ the camp-ground where he was staying in May 1989, and that he was killed at the party - and that his body was dumped in the nearby lake. Even though the body in the lake (that was later found) was not Charles, I still think the note may have been half-true.

-Though the UM segment stated that he was allegedly seen hiking around Canada through 1992, I believe those "sightings" were red herrings.

-I can't understand why he would tell Canadian relatives that he wanted to cut off all contact with his mother & disappear. Strange.

To wrap up, here are my theories as to what possibly happened to him:

1) He met with foul play, either because of an interaction/altercation with some of the people he met at the campground.....or due to some other strangers he met. It's possible that he was mugged & killed in some remote area, which is why his body has never been found.

2) He had a mental break-down & this led to his telling his Canadian relatives that he wanted to break off all communication with his mother & start a new life somewhere, etc. If this possibility is true, maybe he is still alive somewhere...but I somehow doubt this.
 
dotr said:
The Doe Network: Case File 67DMBC
CHorvath4.jpg
CHorvath5.jpg




Click to expand...
Two things, my brother stayed at the campground at the time mentioned, as he just moved into Kelowna, he couldnt find an apartment, I will enquire if he knows of this.
The second thing is I worked at ENN liquid natural gas in Merritt, I had received a resume with the exact name. I did notify the RCMP and they never got back to me, then the company shut its doors four years ago.
I agree I believe he met with foul play, I doubt it was an accident his body wouldve been found, I dont believe it was suicide his body wouldve been found for sure. There have been a few murders in Kelowna but no-one hides the bodies as they try to send a message to people who owe money. If he was travelling he would leave a trail. It reminds me of the guys missing in Merritt. I mean he wasnt rich, or he wouldnt stay in Tiny Town Campgrounds. Its like people are hunting College Aged men here, like the Smiley Face killers in the states.
 
Sonny Crockett said:
The Charles Horvath Canadian disappearance (featured on UM) is especially poignant/sad. The interview(s) with his mother were difficult to watch; they obviously had a close relationship, and I find it bizarre that he would just cut off all contact with her - unless he was actually dead. In addition, he & his mother had made plans for him to go to Hong Kong & celebrate a birthday with her & his step-father later in 1989. But, this never occurred given his disappearance.

Several points & opinions:

-I do believe that his disappearance happened in May 1989. That was the last time anyone reported definitively seeing him.

-The mention of July 1989 being the last time his friend (who lived with her mother in an apartment) heard from him may have been an error re: the date. Or, maybe the date was correct & someone who claimed he was Charles called her from the downstairs intercom - but it wasn't actually; note that she didn't actually see him, just heard him. Another possibility: she may have mis-identified the person asking to come up to the apt. as being Charles; she had extended family members over & was probably distracted by them/the family dinner.

In any case, I don't find it that plausible that Charles disappeared for two months (from May to July 1989), then came back just to see his friend - then disappeared again.

-There was a note that his mother received which stated that Charles was last seen at a raucous party @ the camp-ground where he was staying in May 1989, and that he was killed at the party - and that his body was dumped in the nearby lake. Even though the body in the lake (that was later found) was not Charles, I still think the note may have been half-true.

-Though the UM segment stated that he was allegedly seen hiking around Canada through 1992, I believe those "sightings" were red herrings.

-I can't understand why he would tell Canadian relatives that he wanted to cut off all contact with his mother & disappear. Strange.

To wrap up, here are my theories as to what possibly happened to him:

1) He met with foul play, either because of an interaction/altercation with some of the people he met at the campground.....or due to some other strangers he met. It's possible that he was mugged & killed in some remote area, which is why his body has never been found.

2) He had a mental break-down & this led to his telling his Canadian relatives that he wanted to break off all communication with his mother & start a new life somewhere, etc. If this possibility is true, maybe he is still alive somewhere...but I somehow doubt this.
Click to expand...

Who was the person found in the lake??
 
Includes interactive map and pics.
Missing Persons Charles Horvath-Allan - Locate International
Horvath-Allan
charles.jpg

Charles Horvath-Allan
Missing Since: 26th May 1989.

''Charles has been missing for over 31 years after disappearing in Kelowna, Canada. Since that time he has had no contact with friends or family. His family have never given up the search for Charles travelling to Canada numerous times to conduct their own enquires.''

I have information

''The story timeline allows you to explore the significant parts of the case at your own pace. Simply click the start exploring button and then use the forward and backward arrows to scroll through the timeline.''
 
Sonny Crockett said:
It's been a while since I saw the UM segment, but I don't remember that person being named - just that it wasn't CH.
Click to expand...
Yes, I live in BC and when media informed us about a body in the lake, of course it was thought it may be Charles Horvath. It was later reported that it was not him. I hope Charles is found at some point, wherever he might be.
 
dotr said:
31 Aug 2020
Fresh hope in hunt for British backpacker who vanished in Canada 31 years ago | Daily Mail Online
32595634-8681045-image-a-20_1598866729510.jpg

32595640-8681045-image-a-21_1598866738857.jpg


''His mother, Denise, 71, (pictured with Charles) who fears she will 'go to her grave' without knowing what happened to her son, has made 16 trips to Canada to uncover what happened

Charles Horvath-Allan (pictured), who would be 52 this month, was last seen in May 1989 on the Tiny Tent Town campsite in Kelowna, British Columbia

''The mother of a British backpacker who vanished in Canada 31 years ago has been given fresh hope after a cold-case unit revealed it was investigating the disappearance.

Charles Horvath-Allan, who would be 52 this month, was last seen in May 1989 on the Tiny Tent Town campsite in Kelowna, British Columbia.

His mother, Denise, 71, who fears she will 'go to her grave' without knowing what happened to her son, has made 16 trips to Canada to uncover what happened.''

''Leeds Beckett University in West Yorkshire are launching a cold-case unit to investigate the disappearance and try to uncover new leads.

After hearing about the new investigation, Denise said: 'I'm absolutely thrilled and privileged that they are taking on my Charles' case, I hope it will provide me with answers on the fate of my son.

'To not know has been cruel, it has been the worst part.''
''She believes that Charles could have been murdered by a gang similar to Hells Angels, who were said to have moved to the same campsite as Charles shortly before he went missing.''

''Kirsty Bennett, a lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, is launching the cold case unit from September for criminology students.''
Click to expand...
 

I tend to agree with this heartbroken mother of Charles. I know here in WS we are not allowed to discuss certain groups, but being a group of men similar to the one she mentions had moved into that campground just before Charles disappeared & that it is well known that a particular group of men did and probably still does occupy a residence in Kelowna...

I can see a naive young man going to downtown Kelowna for a night out and getting roughed up and worse, it isn't always a safe place there IMO. This mention about someone overhearing in the campground shower re. the septic tank, I would be hard pressed to believe it was that tank, but elsewhere perhaps, horrible thought. There are many, many forestry and backroads in Kelowna, as well as the lake of course. I lived near that former campground and it is a busy and somewhat shallow public beach nearby so that would be very unlikely he was attacked or 'disposed' of there.

If the person who committed this crime or knows who did has had a change of heart or a twinge of conscious, and sees this thread, PLEASE do the right thing and anonymously let this mother know where her son's remains are, no questions asked. It is the one positive thing you can do for her and would give her what she so desperately needs.
 
May 30 2021
by Steve MacNaull
Cold case: How did Charles Horvath vanish 32 years ago?

''Thirty-two years ago this week, Charles Horvath cashed a cheque at the Royal Bank at Orchard Park in Kelowna and then was never seen again.

It's a disappearance that's haunted his mother, Denise Allan, and the community, for more than three decades.

How can someone completely and utterly vanish without a trace?

Was he murdered?

And, if so, how and why was he killed and where is his body?

These are questions Denise, and Kelowna, will likely never get answers to''

''To coincide with the 32nd anniversary of Charles' disappearance, Kirsty Bennett, a criminology lecturer from Leeds School of Social Sciences in England, spent time with Denise to generate a Cold Case Unit article that's been posted online.

Bennett, whose area of expertise is cold case homicides, missing persons and no-body murders, outlined the case and urged anyone with any information to contact CrimeStoppers.''

''To this day, Allan believes one of the strongest leads in the case as also one of the first.

While Charles was staying at Tiny Town, a gang of bikers from the US stopped at the campground on its way to a party at the Falkland Stampede.

A tip later alluded to a polite Englishman being killed by a biker trying to earn a gang patch.

Nothing came of that information, so for years Denise held out hope Charles was alive somewhere.''
 
www.crimestoppers.net

Missing Persons

Charles Horvath -Allan, a British citizen travelling through Canada, stopped in Kelowna in May of 1989, working at the Flintstone Adventure Park and staying in various locations, the last-known being Tiny Town Campsite. He was last seen on May
www.crimestoppers.net
1285945408.jpg

MISSING: "Charles" Karoly John Horvath-Allan​

Race:Caucasian
DOB:1968-08-21
Sex:Male
Height:6 Feet 0 Inches [182.88 cm]
Weight:175 lbs. [79 kgs]
Hair:dark brown
Eyes:brown
Identifying Features:Tattoo on his left upper arm of a skull with mohawk.
File #:1989-21784
Age:54
Charles Horvath -Allan, a British citizen travelling through Canada, stopped in Kelowna in May of 1989, working at the Flintstone Adventure Park and staying in various locations, the last-known being Tiny Town Campsite. He was last seen on May 26th after working a four-hour shift at Flintstones and cashing a cheque at the Royal Bank at Orchard Park Mall. His tent and personal belongs were left behind at the campground and he has not been heard of since. His mother has searched tirelessly for years and would like closure.
 
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