On August 4, 1989, Barbara Bohun and her two daughters, Casey 3, and 14-month old Stacy were at a family barbecue in Maple Ridge. Barbara’s sister Beverly drove them home to Delta, tucked Casey into bed, and Barbara’s partner, Jonathan Poile showed her the way home via the Alex Fraser Bridge.
It’s unclear how long Jonathan was out that night or what exactly transpired. All we know is that Casey was missing from her bed the next morning.
This is an excerpt from a story in Cold Case BC: The Stories Behind the Province’s Most Intriguing Murder and Missing Person Cases.
Missing:
Newspaper photographs show a cute little girl with shoulder-length red hair. Her mother said she was shy and loved animals. Jonathan told reporters that she was “independent, inquisitive, and athletic” and could open car doors and gates by herself. Her aunt called her “Mouse.” Says Beverly: “She was quiet as a mouse, but she had spunk. When she had her mind set on something, it was ‘Auntie, I can do it,’ and always a smile and hugs for anybody.”
In the days that followed, people came from all over to help in the search, and more than 40,000 posters were distributed throughout North America. Over the years police have worked through several theories—that Casey wandered off and became lost; that she was kidnapped by a stranger; that she was sold to pay off a drug debt; that she was killed by someone close to her either accidentally or intentionally; or that a family member took her because they were concerned for her welfare.
Suspects:
Polygraph lie detector tests were given to Jonathan, Beverly, Donald, Donald’s parents, and Barbara. Rumours circulated that Barbara or Jonathan had done something to Casey. None of this was helped by Barbara, who told several different versions of events over the years.
Beverly acknowledges that her sister was troubled but says she would never hurt her children. “My sister lived for her children. Her children were her world,” she said.
Shona, Barbara’s third daughter and Jonathan’s first, was born in 1989. In 1995, Jonathan Poile took a job teaching English at a college near Seoul in South Korea, and the relationship continued long distance.
Active:
In 2001, Barbara was living in Port Coquitlam and working at a doughnut shop. On Saturday, April 28, 2001, she finished her shift and dropped in at a local pub to play pool. Then she walked to the Pattullo Bridge, climbed over the rail, and jumped off. Her body was found the next day. Barbara did not leave a note.
Inspector Guy Leeson of the Delta Police says Casey’s file is considered “active,” as are all missing person files until the person is located or their remains are found.
Casey’s DNA has been submitted to genealogical data banks in hopes that she is alive and will one day send her DNA to a genealogy site such as Ancestry.com or 23andMe.
If you have any information about Casey Bohun’s disappearance, please call Delta Police at 604-946-4411 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Show Notes:
Music: Andreas Schuld ‘Waiting for You’
Intro: 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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