The last time Bev Catholique saw her cousin Charlene, they were teenagers.
SA国际影视传媒淚t might seem like a while ago but itSA国际影视传媒檚 still so clear to me,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
They were standing at the terminal at Yellowknife Airport on their way home to Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 early Friday morning, June 22, 1990.
Bev, 44, said they stayed at their aunt ErnestineSA国际影视传媒檚 in Yellowknife that week to attend the Dene NationSA国际影视传媒檚 assembly in Dettah.
The airline told the girls they were overbooked, even though they both had tickets.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were both supposed to go on that plane home. But we were told: thereSA国际影视传媒檚 only room for one,SA国际影视传媒� said Bev.
Charlene insisted Bev leave without her; sheSA国际影视传媒檇 catch up.
SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒橧SA国际影视传媒檒l see you tomorrow,SA国际影视传媒� she told me,SA国际影视传媒� Bev recalled. SA国际影视传媒淚 felt really sad.SA国际影视传媒�
She felt intuitively that something was seriously wrong.
SA国际影视传媒淚 really didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to leave her,SA国际影视传媒� said Bev.
She burst into tears when she got on the plane and saw all the empty seats.
The next morning, the police were knocking on BevSA国际影视传媒檚 door. Charlene never made it home.
SEE: YK COLD CASE FILES: What happened to Charlene Catholique? [Part 1]
Bev was 13 at the time while Charlene was 15 when she went missing.
SA国际影视传媒淪he was like a big sister,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
Bev described Charlene as beautiful, around 5SA国际影视传媒�5SA国际影视传媒� and slim with big, chocolate brown eyes.
SA国际影视传媒淪he cut her own hair in a style she loved and wore makeup,SA国际影视传媒� said Bev. SA国际影视传媒淪he was pretty confident.SA国际影视传媒�
They spent time together playing on the land, games like hide and seek and baseball with their group of boisterous cousins, who were all around the same age.
SA国际影视传媒淪he is happy-go-lucky, likes to joke around,SA国际影视传媒� Bev said, choosing to use the present tense. SA国际影视传媒淏ut sheSA国际影视传媒檚 quiet and shy around (strangers).SA国际影视传媒�
Charlene was fluent in Chipewyan and served as a translator between Bev and their grandparents, Marie and J.B., until they discouraged her: SA国际影视传媒淒onSA国际影视传媒檛 translate for her! SheSA国际影视传媒檚 got to learn,SA国际影视传媒� Bev laughed.
Charlene spent a lot of time with her grandparents. Her mother died of cancer when she was 12, and she was very close with her father, Joe, although they occasionally butted heads.
SA国际影视传媒淓very time she was upset, she would go to the bush behind our grandparents place,SA国际影视传媒� Bev recounted.
Charlene would set up her own camp with a little fire with tea, crackers, and Klik, and sheSA国际影视传媒檇 have her journal.
But she always left signs for Bev to find her: paper notes with arrows pointing to her camp. And she always came home.
More than 30 years later, CharleneSA国际影视传媒檚 disappearance still perplexes Bev, the same as it did the day she found out.
Charlene was seen was walking along Highway 3. Bev said she headed in the direction of Behchok谦虁, however, the said she was believed to be walking towards Yellowknife.
The night she was due to fly home, Charlene went to an arcade on Franklin Avenue, a weekend hangout for teenagers. She was wearing a neon pink sweatshirt, her favourite acid-washed jeans and blue jacket with white sleeves, and white running shoes.
Bev isnSA国际影视传媒檛 sure who she went along with her, SA国际影视传媒渆veryone knew everyone. She mentioned she had a boyfriend, maybe thatSA国际影视传媒檚 why she was OK to stay in Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� said Bev, adding she knows his name but has never met him.
The family tried countless ways to locate Charlene, usually spearheaded by Joe, who is now deceased. But since that sighting in June 1990, there has been no sign of Charlene.
SA国际影视传媒淚t made a hole in all our lives here at home,SA国际影视传媒� said another cousin, Marie Catholique, also 44. SA国际影视传媒淚 really do miss her and sometimes cry about why people would be so cruel if they did something to her.SA国际影视传媒�
Over the years, theories about what happened have floated through town, some terrifying: SA国际影视传媒淲e heard some guys had her in Behchok谦虁,SA国际影视传媒� said Bev. But no evidence has surfaced.
Marie said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渟till kind of madSA国际影视传媒� that the family hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 heard any update from the recently, and said that if she had the money, she would conduct her own search.
In June 2017, the Northwest Territories Supreme Court declared Charlene was dead. But she is still considered a missing person and her case is active through the Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒檚 Historical Case Unit (HCU).
In 2019, Charlene was featured in a week-long missing person campaign by the .
In 2020, the HCU, along with the Forensic Identification Section and the Major Crimes Unit, searched an area of interest near Behchok谦虁. Nothing was found.
CharleneSA国际影视传媒檚 disappearance is a complete anomaly. There are currrently no other missing teenagers on file at theHSC, confirmed.
Bev still tells her four children about Charlene, even though they werenSA国际影视传媒檛 even born when she vanished. She tells them her cousin was a good person who protected her family and friends.
SA国际影视传媒淪he watched over all of us,SA国际影视传媒� Bev said.
Visit www.nnsl.com for the first instalment of this cold case.
Anyone with information on Charlene Catholique or any open investigation is asked to contact the NT Major Crimes Unit at 867-669-1111 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Have you got a cold case you want Yellowknifer to investigate? Email anna.james@nnsl.com
