CANADA Canada - Ronald "Ron" Yakimchuk, 27, & Theresa "Terry" (Pettit) Yakimchuk, 23, last known stop in Dryden ON, 12 June 1973

[UncoolNegated]

By my research, something happened to them between Dryden and Ottawa between June 12th and June 16th, 1973. The woman had purchased a money order or cashier's cheque or whatever they called those things in 1973. She made the purchase in Edmonton with plans to cash it at her bank in Ottawa. But it never got cashed.

I disregard the Parry Sound sighting without something else corroborating it. The kayak wasn't on top of the car. Also, that would create 5-6 weeks where they just didn't contact anyone.

 

[Markybug]

I would say as in most missing persons and car, that they are in a body of water along the route they had planned at the time.

 

[dotr]

2023

From the archives: Vanishing point — the mysterious disappearance of Edmonton journalists Terry Pettit and Ron Yakimchuk

In June 1973, an Edmonton couple set out in their battered Volkswagen for a wedding in Montreal. They never arrived. A postcard with a one-word message was their last contact with loved ones who are still haunted by the disappearance.

edmontonjournal.com

 

[Nate_Bro]

Imagine a story where they somehow ended up in the US?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

View attachment 488604

Just noticing that the 2nd and 4th cases that I mentioned have since been solved separately which is awesome news!

Identified! - CT - Stonington (Ledyard), WhtFem UP8909, 18-30, JNHS 1917 Class Ring, Lady Clairol hair roller set, May'74 - Linda Sue Childers

Identified! - PA - Fort Indiantown Gap, WhtFem 12-20, 609UFPA, extensive dental work, covered w/ plastic, Oct'73 Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman

Forgot about updating on this. Doe Network voted no due to dental age being off, which honestly worries me. Very recently, Marcia Thomas was identified and her dental age was way off. Also, Doe Network voted no on ONLY dental age, no other factors were taken into account. Or at the very least...

tinyurl.com

 

[CdnCat]

I would say as in most missing persons and car, that they are in a body of water along the route they had planned at the time.

I agree. Unfortunately if you look at the Trans Canada route in Ontario, there were so many lakes along it. If they were driving at night, tired, well.

 

[Claroon]

Any update to the recovered Beetle? News articles etc ?

Another possibility was that they travelled (or were taken) south from their last known location, Dryden. If you were to do so, but with the expectation to continue in an easterly direction, you would turn east at St Paul Minnesota, and most assurely you would atleast stop there.

Namus lists 2 Does in Hennepin County, showing them in very close proximity on the map. The dates given are 31 Dember 1973 and 1974, my guess is they are tentative dates and the bodies were found sometime during those years. One is definitely a white female, and the other is listed as a pre 30s adult... possibly? Would love to get more info on these...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Those are very plausable matches IMO. Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton, some body parts not found, (wild animals or dismemberment?) When you click location and the red dot is on a home, is that the location found and in 1974 would have been vacant land perhaps? Or is the red dot simply showing Minnesota? Has there been followup on this?

 

[Claroon]

Namus lists 2 Does in Hennepin County, showing them in very close proximity on the map. The dates given are 31 Dember 1973 and 1974, my guess is they are tentative dates and the bodies were found sometime during those years. One is definitely a white female, and the other is listed as a pre 30s adult... possibly? Would love to get more info on these...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

As a person who did a couple cross canada trips, it is very plausible to take the US route instead, and add in some sightseeing too especially as you have to drive around the Great Lakes. Often jogs for us were to do with where is the next rest stop/restaurant. But I never did the trip as long ago as '74 @Nate_Bro have these Namus cases been solved? How do you let them know about a possible connection to these Canadians?

(Google Maps)

 

[Rikissa]

As a person who did a couple cross canada trips, it is very plausible to take the US route instead, and add in some sightseeing too especially as you have to drive around the Great Lakes. Often jogs for us were to do with where is the next rest stop/restaurant. But I never did the trip as long ago as '74 @Nate_Bro have these Namus cases been solved? How do you let them know about a possible connection to these Canadians?

(Google Maps)

View attachment 650705

How much extra time would a trip through a US route take, as they had plans to attend a wedding in Ottawa on 16 June, and they were last seen 12 June? Their car seems to have been fully loaded, so taking a long extra trip might have been stressful.

 

[Claroon]

How much extra time would a trip through a US route take, as they had plans to attend a wedding in Ottawa on 16 June, and they were last seen 12 June? Their car seems to have been fully loaded, so taking a long extra trip might have been stressful.

First, a couple of corrections.
1. They actually left Edmonton June 9 for a June 16 wedding giving them 8 days of travel. The June 12 date likely refers to the last time they were heard from -- the stop in Brandon or the post card stamp from Dryden.
2. The destination was Montreal, not Ottawa (a 2 hrs+ difference).

In the 70s, speed limits were lower and roads probably not as wide but they could have made it in 5-6 days. Today, that trip would be more like 4-5 days (based on 8-10 hrs driving per day).

It isn’t necessarily much longer taking the US route and many Canadians have done so. Either route has to go around the Great Lakes and some suggest the US route is more picturesque and has more stopping points. The Canadian route, I recall you had to plan well for rest stops (like every 4-5 hrs only).

I checked a route planner and it suggested driving Edmonton to Montreal via the Trans-Canada is about 37–41 hours total driving time today, and the U.S. highway route through Minnesota and around the Great Lakes roughly 2–4 hours more.

 

[Claroon]

This is a plausible route though a bit longer than needed, but for some reason they wanted to go to Dryden. No reports IIRC they actually veered south to US. Many like to do some sightseeing if it fits. So it would not be strange, IMO, if they stopped in Minneapolis.

 

[Rikissa]

This is a plausible route though a bit longer than needed, but for some reason they wanted to go to Dryden. No reports IIRC they actually veered south to US. Many like to do some sightseeing if it fits. So it would not be strange, IMO, if they stopped in Minneapolis.

I should have specified my question in post #48 better, as I was thinking of doing the part from Dryden to Ottawa/Montreal in four days, not about their entire trip.
Is it known whether their earlier stops had been for sightseeing, or 'a good place for a stop'?
As the wedding was on a Saturday, was there some kind of get-togerher planned for Friday evening, that they might want to attend?

 

[Nate_Bro]

Does anyone know of any other couples that went missing together? This is a potential couple found murdered together a few years later. Not nearly enough research has gone into finding out who they are.

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=3798umfl

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=1671uffl

 

[missingJulia]

Exploring with a mission or AWP should search for them.

 

[missingJulia]

Kennt jemand weitere Paare, die gemeinsam verschwunden sind? Hier wird ein mutmaßliches Paar einige Jahre später ermordet aufgefunden. Es wurde viel zu wenig recherchiert, um ihre Identität festzustellen.

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=3798umfl

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=1671uffl

Charles & Catherine Romer, Elmo & Edna Batterton.

 

[Claroon]

As a person who did a couple cross canada trips, it is very plausible to take the US route instead, and add in some sightseeing too especially as you have to drive around the Great Lakes. Often jogs for us were to do with where is the next rest stop/restaurant. But I never did the trip as long ago as '74 @Nate_Bro have these Namus cases been solved? How do you let them know about a possible connection to these Canadians?

(Google Maps)

View attachment 650705

no reply from @Nate_Bro . Do I have to send them in to have them ruled in or out?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Claroon]

The problem with submitting to Namus is they don't have a proper submit button with this case and I even created an account!! I sent the info to the NamUs contact page and who knows if they will be looked at.

• Ron Yakimchuk — 3615DMAB
• Terry Pettit — 2461DFAB
• NamUs:
  
  • UP11530
  • UP11613