On the day that 14-year-old Lindsey Nicholls disappeared, she was last seen walking down Royston Road, outside of Comox on Vancouver Island. It was August 2, 1993—the Monday of the BC Day long weekend, and Lindsey was meeting friends at the annual Comox Nautical Days Festival.
Comox:
Lindsey was a slim five foot three with green eyes and long blond hair. The family had relocated to Comox from Delta in the summer of 1992. Lindsey missed her friends and was constantly at odds with her parents. A few months earlier, Lindsey and her dad got into a fight after Martin, an RCMP officer, caught her sneaking out one night. The next morning she pretended to go to school, but instead packed her clothes and Snowflake her teddy bear in a backpack, wrote a note for her mother, and ran away to Delta.
Based on a story from: Cold Case BC: The stories behind the province’s most intriguing murder and missing persons cases
Judy quickly discovered that when a teen runs away and refuses to come home, there is little a parent can do. In the end, she struck a bargain with Lindsey: if Lindsey agreed to come home, she could live in temporary foster care, and the family would attend counselling.
Foster Home:
Lindsey was placed with a foster family in Royston, a seaside village located across the bay from Comox. The last time Judy spoke with Lindsey was on the Friday before the long weekend, when Lindsey phoned from the foster home. “I told her how much I loved her and that I missed her.” She sounded fine, but even though it had only been a few days, she was already unhappy in the new home. “And, I thought, ‘Perfect,’ because I wanted her to come home,” says Judy. “It never occurred to me that being out there now, she was in more danger because she was going to hitchhike into town.”
The Nicholls went away for the long weekend. When they arrived back, Judy phoned the foster home and was shocked to learn that Lindsey had not been seen since the previous day, and nobody had reported her missing. Judy phoned the police.
Because Lindsey had run away three months before and had threatened to do so again, police were sure that she’d headed back to Delta. But Judy didn’t think so. “They treated her as a runaway because she had run away before, and there was almost nothing done initially.”
Over the last three decades, police have had received more than 400 tips, administered 15 polygraph examinations, and interviewed over 100 people.
Lindsey’s file is categorized as “missing, foul play suspected.”
If you have any information about Lindsey Nicholl’s disappearance, please call the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.
Show Notes:
Sponsors: Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours and Erin Hakin Jewellery
Music: Andreas Schuld ‘Waiting for You’
Intro and voiceover: Mark Dunn
Buy me a coffee promo: McBride Communications and Media
Podcast promo: Blood, Sweat and Fear: The Story of Inspector Vance
Source: Cold Case BC: The Stories Behind the Province’s Most Intriguing Murder and Missing Persons Cases
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5 comments on “Lindsey Nicholls: Vanished”
R.C.M.P. AGAIN at the helm! ALL those associated with them seem complacent!!
Well, Vancouver City Police had heard about Robert Pickton for years and did nothing. So to me it’s more general sexism. In the case of the DTES (Pickton) it was also racism and classism. Thanks for caring though, Joe.
Thank you for remembering Lindsey. We first met in 1984 when Lindsey and Kim were little.
I’ve never forgotten Lindsey and think of her and her mom often. Judy’s sustained efforts are not surprising. Sending love and support to the family.
Obviously I’m judging on not much information here, but her father’s responses seem…underwhelming. If that was my child, to hell with propriety, I’m beating down every door until I find out what’s going on. His whole attitude bothers me.
I used to babysit Lindsey and kimmi. My heart breaks every time I think of her… she was such a beautiful girl and so loved