An elderly woman working alone high up in a fire-spotting tower in the Canadian wilderness disappears while on-duty. Evidence at the scene points to foul play but police investigators remain baffled as to who climbed the tower to get her and why?
Stephanie Stewart
Stephanie Stewart
Athabasca Fire Lookout Tower
Stephanie Stewart Climbing Fire Tower
Athabasca Tower Reference Map
Map
Athabasca Lookout
Episode Source Material
- Alberta Parks: Athabasca Lookout View Point Fact
- William A. Switzer Provinical Park : Athabasca Lookout Nordic Centre
- Edmonton Journal: Police Seek Missing Fire Tower Observer. By Laura Drak.
- Edmonton Journal: Search Continue for Missing Hinton Fire-Tower Observer. By Staff.
- Edmonton Journal: Foul Play Suspected in Alberta Lookout Observer’s Disappearance. By staff.
- CBC News: Hundreds Search for Woman Missing From Fire Lookout Tower. By Staff.
- Star-Phoenix: Search for Missing Forestry Worker Intensifies. By Lisa Arrowsmith.
- Edmonton Journal: Drug Trade Fuels Fears for Missing Lookout Worker. By Jim Farrell and Ryan Cormier.
- Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Red Deer Advocate: Family of Missing Forestry Worker Appeals for Information, By Staff.
- Calgary Herald: Daugther Worries About Missing Fire-Spotter. By Lisa Arrowsmith.
- Times Colonist: Reward Offered in Case of Woman Who Vanished From Forestry Tower. By Staff.
- Edmonton Journal: Homicide Stats Include Missing Fire Tower Worker. By Trish Audette.
- Edmonton Journal: Hikers Asked to Watch for Missing Worker. By Staff.
- Calgary Herald: Search for Lookout Employee Continue. By Staff.
- CTV News Edmonton: Alberta Released Fire Lookout Safety Report. By staff.
- Calgary Herald: New Safety Measures For Fire Lookouts. By Tony Seskus.
- Edmonton Journal: Tips on Missing Woman Still Come In. By staff.
- Red Deer Advocate: Tower Operator Loves Her Work. By Brenda Kossowan.
- CTV News Edmonton: Alberta Woman’s Disappearance remains a Mystery Three Years Later. By Melissa Dominelli.
- Calgary Herald: Mystery Surround Fate of Fire Spotter. By Jamie Komarnicki.
- Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calgary Herald: Fire Spotter’s Disappearance a Mystery. By Jamie Komarnicki.
- Calgary Herald: On The Lookout. By Jamie Komarnicki.
- The Globe and Mail: Police Still Seek Leads Five Years After Alberta Fire Spotter Vanished. By Dawn Walton.
- Global News: Five Year Anniversary of Stephanie Stewart’s Disappearance. By Staff.
- The Canadian Press: 10 Years Since Wildfire Spotter Stephanie Stewart Vanished Near Hinton, Alberta.
- Calgary Herald: Senior’s Disappearance 10 Year Ago At Alberta Fire Lookout Still a Mystery. By Chris Purdy.
- Strange Outdoors: The Strange and Disturbing Disappearance of Stephanie Stewart From A Fire Lookout in Alberta.
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police News Release: RCMP Historical Homicide United Investigating Deaths of Three Women.
- Global News: Historical Homicide Unit Believes Unrelated Deaths of 3 Alberta Women Will be Solved. By Emily Mertz.
- CTV News Edmonton: RCMP Investigations Continue for Three Homicides, dating back to 1983, 2006, 2013. By Julia Parrish.
- Cold Case: A Look Inside the Alberta RCMP’s Historical Homicide Unit. By Quinn Ohler.
- CTV News Edmonton: RMCP Searching Near Hinton in 2006 Disappearance Investigation. By Julia Parrish.
- Edmonton Journal: A Pot of Boiling Water and a Smear of Blood: 12 Years Later, Fresh Clues Sought in Stephanie Stewart’s Disappearance. By Jonny Wakefield.
- CTV News Edmonton: 12 Years Later, New Clues Sought in Disappearance of 70-year-old Woman. By Jackie Dunham.
- The Danielle Smith Show: Interview with Kerry Shima RCMP Twitter on using Twitter to investigate disappearance of Stephanie Stewart.
- Calgary Herald: New Techniques Tested in Missing-Women Cold Cases. By Anna Junker.
- Crime Beat Alberta: Woman, 70, Still Missing After Disappearing 15 Years Ago From Fire Lookout Tower.
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police News Release: RCMP Historical Homicide Unit Seek Public Assistance Regarding the Disappearance of Stephanie Stewart.
- CTV News Edmonton: Police Renew Calls for Information to Help Locate Wildfire Tower Worker Missing 15 Years. By Adam Lachacz.
- Western Standard: Who Murdered Stephanie Stewart? By Dave Naylor. Published August 26, 2021. Accessed December 17, 2021.
Travis Vader Sources
- CBC News: Murder Trial of Man Accused of Killing Alberta Couple Opened Today in An Edmonton Courtroom. By Janice Johnston.
- CBC News: Travis Vader and The McCanns: 6 Years to a Decision. By staff.
- CBC News: Travis Vader Convicted of 2nd-degree Murder in McCann Deaths. By Rick McConnel.
- CBC News: ‘Terrifying For All Canadian’: Travis Vader Gets Life Sentence for Killing Elderly Alberta Couple.
- National Post: Travis Vader Sentenced to Life in Prison After Being Convicted of Killing Elderly Couple. By Staff.
- Toronto Star: ‘No Body, No Parole’: How The Killing of an Elderly Couple Led to the Push for a New Canadian Law. By Rosa Saba.
- The Canadian Press: “Terrific’ : Victims Son Pleased High Court Rejected Travis Vader Appeal Request. By staff.
- Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta Reason for Judgment Filing. September 15, 2016.