1 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:05,967 ANNOUNCER: This program is rated 14+, and contains 2 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:07,967 scenes of violence and mature subject matter. 3 00:00:08,100 --> 00:00:09,834 Viewer discretion is advised. 4 00:00:13,934 --> 00:00:16,033 [Bob] Me and Nellie were out investigating. 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,967 We followed Barbara's route. 6 00:00:19,133 --> 00:00:24,000 We found out she went up to that bar. 7 00:00:25,767 --> 00:00:27,600 [O'Brien] Barbara's in a bar at closing time, 8 00:00:27,767 --> 00:00:31,867 gets into an argument with two individuals. 9 00:00:32,033 --> 00:00:33,333 [Howland] We knew she was missing. 10 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:34,600 That's all we knew. 11 00:00:35,500 --> 00:00:37,200 [O'Brien] We could not find any footprints of life 12 00:00:37,367 --> 00:00:41,066 for Barbara after she left Renegades. 13 00:00:42,667 --> 00:00:44,533 [Howland] They were going straight across Highway 22. 14 00:00:45,667 --> 00:00:47,467 He saw the passenger side door open 15 00:00:47,633 --> 00:00:50,867 and there was a woman who appeared to be naked 16 00:00:51,033 --> 00:00:53,066 trying to get out of the truck. 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:55,600 [mom] I'm worried that she's not alright, 18 00:00:55,767 --> 00:00:58,967 like, she could be hurt or even dead. 19 00:00:59,133 --> 00:01:01,166 Because I fear the worst. 20 00:01:04,333 --> 00:01:06,633 Welcome to Crime Beat. I'm Anthony Robart. 21 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:11,266 A night out ends in turmoil as a young woman vanishes. 22 00:01:11,433 --> 00:01:12,934 Loved ones held out hope 23 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:15,100 that the aspiring nurse would be found safe, 24 00:01:15,266 --> 00:01:17,700 but after months of searching, 25 00:01:17,867 --> 00:01:19,667 that hope was shattered. 26 00:01:19,834 --> 00:01:21,467 With a murder investigation underway, 27 00:01:21,633 --> 00:01:23,667 detectives race to find the truth 28 00:01:23,834 --> 00:01:26,767 behind the shocking details of this murder mystery. 29 00:01:28,667 --> 00:01:32,700 Here now is Nancy Hixt with "Last Call." 30 00:01:36,433 --> 00:01:38,567 [street din] 31 00:01:40,233 --> 00:01:42,967 [Nancy] Early one morning in 2002, 32 00:01:43,133 --> 00:01:47,200 the driver of a semi-truck was navigating snowy roads 33 00:01:47,367 --> 00:01:51,166 when he noticed a vehicle driving erratically. 34 00:01:51,333 --> 00:01:54,133 The trucker then saw a naked woman 35 00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:56,533 hanging out of the passenger door. 36 00:01:57,500 --> 00:02:00,200 He figured the occupants had been drinking. 37 00:02:00,367 --> 00:02:04,066 And soon after, the vehicle drove out of his sight. 38 00:02:07,066 --> 00:02:08,467 More than a week later, 39 00:02:08,633 --> 00:02:10,934 while reading a local newspaper, 40 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:15,000 he made a startling connection between what he saw 41 00:02:15,166 --> 00:02:16,700 and a mysterious case 42 00:02:16,867 --> 00:02:20,100 that had been unfolding in Calgary. 43 00:02:20,266 --> 00:02:22,066 So the family members of Barbara Eyapaise 44 00:02:22,233 --> 00:02:23,467 called us and they were concerned 45 00:02:23,633 --> 00:02:24,967 because they hadn't seen her in a few days, 46 00:02:25,133 --> 00:02:26,600 hadn't heard from her in a few days. 47 00:02:26,767 --> 00:02:29,400 Barbara had a scheduled appointment 48 00:02:29,567 --> 00:02:31,000 with her dad at a bank. 49 00:02:31,166 --> 00:02:33,200 And her dad called us and said, 50 00:02:33,367 --> 00:02:35,233 like, it is very, very unusual 51 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,467 that she wouldn't have attended. 52 00:02:37,633 --> 00:02:38,767 And if she wasn't going to attend, 53 00:02:38,934 --> 00:02:40,266 she certainly would have contacted him. 54 00:02:40,433 --> 00:02:42,367 And the fact that she didn't show up, 55 00:02:42,533 --> 00:02:45,166 she didn't contact him, it was a concern. 56 00:02:45,333 --> 00:02:46,834 They didn't know what happened, if anything, 57 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:48,567 but she just hadn't been seen in a bit 58 00:02:48,734 --> 00:02:49,800 and they were concerned. 59 00:02:49,967 --> 00:02:52,200 But I also knew of Barbara's way. 60 00:02:52,367 --> 00:02:55,867 She was always-- If she was said she'd be somewhere, 61 00:02:56,033 --> 00:02:57,533 she'd keep her word. 62 00:02:58,467 --> 00:03:02,433 Well, Nellie was getting all panicky for a day or two. 63 00:03:03,266 --> 00:03:05,133 I said, "Just relax. 64 00:03:05,300 --> 00:03:08,834 If she's not back for her job Monday... 65 00:03:10,233 --> 00:03:12,700 then we'll do something." 66 00:03:13,767 --> 00:03:16,433 Well, she didn't come back for her job. 67 00:03:17,266 --> 00:03:19,834 So then I said, "Okay, we'll do something." 68 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:25,066 So, I went down and talked to the detectives. 69 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:33,033 [Nancy] As investigators retraced Barbara's steps, 70 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,233 they realized none of her family or friends 71 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:41,100 had seen or heard from her since January 17th. 72 00:03:41,266 --> 00:03:43,667 [Kevin] It was actually my mom that phoned me 73 00:03:43,834 --> 00:03:45,734 and she was hysterical, 74 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:48,700 kind of just saying that she was gone. 75 00:03:48,867 --> 00:03:50,400 And that wasn't like her, right? 76 00:03:50,567 --> 00:03:52,667 Like, she always was in touch with my mom, 77 00:03:52,834 --> 00:03:55,400 always in touch with my dad, my aunt. 78 00:03:55,567 --> 00:03:57,734 So when we interviewed Barbara's mom, 79 00:03:57,900 --> 00:04:00,133 we knew that they had been out together. 80 00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:03,000 They had been drinking at the Legion downtown, 81 00:04:03,166 --> 00:04:06,166 that they had left that place together 82 00:04:06,333 --> 00:04:08,567 and they had gone to another bar, 83 00:04:08,734 --> 00:04:10,800 the Cecil Hotel downtown. 84 00:04:10,967 --> 00:04:13,200 And that later on, after a few drinks, 85 00:04:13,367 --> 00:04:15,266 that Barbara's mom left 86 00:04:15,433 --> 00:04:19,467 and Barbara was still there with some other individuals. 87 00:04:19,633 --> 00:04:21,800 When the mom couldn't get a hold of Barbara, 88 00:04:21,967 --> 00:04:23,767 she started doing her own investigation. 89 00:04:23,934 --> 00:04:26,567 She found out that Barbara had gone 90 00:04:26,734 --> 00:04:30,066 to Renegades bar from the Cecil via cab 91 00:04:30,233 --> 00:04:32,266 and that it was actually a group of them that had left 92 00:04:32,433 --> 00:04:33,867 the Cecil and went to Renegades. 93 00:04:34,033 --> 00:04:36,800 ♪ Got your name in lights, you're a superstar ♪ 94 00:04:36,967 --> 00:04:39,467 ["You're a Superstar" by Love Inc.] 95 00:04:39,633 --> 00:04:42,233 The inquiries at Renegades indicated 96 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,834 that Barbara had gotten into some type of altercation, 97 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,834 argument with two males. 98 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,233 It seemed to be over her accusing them 99 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,767 of stealing $25 and that she needed that money 100 00:04:54,934 --> 00:04:57,133 because that was her cab money to get back home. 101 00:04:57,300 --> 00:04:58,667 And that seemed to be the gist 102 00:04:58,834 --> 00:05:01,700 of this particular dispute that was going on. 103 00:05:01,867 --> 00:05:03,600 I can only think that it was probably 104 00:05:03,767 --> 00:05:06,400 a substantial argument if people are noticing it. 105 00:05:06,567 --> 00:05:09,367 And if that's your cab fare to get home 106 00:05:09,533 --> 00:05:12,734 and somebody's taken it and now you're stranded somewhere, 107 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:15,767 like I can see, where somebody obviously would be upset. 108 00:05:15,934 --> 00:05:19,300 The manager said that there was an off-duty doorman/bouncer 109 00:05:19,467 --> 00:05:22,500 that had given Barbara a ride home. 110 00:05:22,667 --> 00:05:24,367 He said that he gave her a ride home. 111 00:05:24,533 --> 00:05:25,767 He also said, though, that 112 00:05:25,934 --> 00:05:27,500 there were some other individuals 113 00:05:27,667 --> 00:05:30,633 that seemed to be involved in this story somehow 114 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,667 that when he gave her a ride home, 115 00:05:32,834 --> 00:05:34,467 that there were some other people that were there 116 00:05:34,633 --> 00:05:36,467 and they were the people from the bar. 117 00:05:36,633 --> 00:05:39,600 So, it was pretty clear that he has some information 118 00:05:39,767 --> 00:05:41,700 and we need to get that information from him. 119 00:05:44,934 --> 00:05:47,300 [Nancy] Calgary Police Detective Len Howland 120 00:05:47,467 --> 00:05:50,967 was assigned to work on the missing persons case. 121 00:05:51,133 --> 00:05:54,734 His first task was to interview the bar's bouncer, 122 00:05:54,900 --> 00:05:59,100 who was now considered a key witness in the investigation. 123 00:05:59,266 --> 00:06:01,433 [Howland] His statement was that 124 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,767 she was incredibly intoxicated. 125 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:07,967 She had no money. 126 00:06:08,133 --> 00:06:10,367 She said that someone had taken it. 127 00:06:10,533 --> 00:06:12,667 He was in there on his day off. 128 00:06:12,834 --> 00:06:14,133 So, he technically wasn't working, 129 00:06:14,300 --> 00:06:15,667 he was in there as a patron, 130 00:06:15,834 --> 00:06:17,500 but he volunteered to drive her home. 131 00:06:17,667 --> 00:06:20,433 And he said that he drove her from the bar to her home 132 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,166 and he mentioned that he thought 133 00:06:23,333 --> 00:06:24,967 someone was following him from the bar, 134 00:06:25,133 --> 00:06:26,767 but he dropped her off at her home 135 00:06:26,934 --> 00:06:28,233 where she told him it was. 136 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,266 He saw a couple of guys get out of a car. 137 00:06:31,166 --> 00:06:32,433 [Nancy] This witness told police 138 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,066 it was the same two men 139 00:06:34,233 --> 00:06:37,433 Barbara had been seen arguing with at the bar 140 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,200 and he didn't want to get involved 141 00:06:39,367 --> 00:06:41,700 in an altercation, so he left. 142 00:06:48,033 --> 00:06:49,700 [Howland] And he drove me on the route 143 00:06:49,867 --> 00:06:52,133 that he took to take her home. 144 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:55,500 When he dropped her off, it was at the intersection, 145 00:06:55,667 --> 00:06:57,967 which was about three houses from her home. 146 00:06:59,367 --> 00:07:00,867 Not in front of the house. 147 00:07:01,033 --> 00:07:03,000 He's even stronger in his description 148 00:07:03,166 --> 00:07:06,000 of having been followed, a couple of guys, 149 00:07:06,166 --> 00:07:09,133 and he watched them get out of their vehicle, 150 00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:10,467 they started arguing with Barbara, 151 00:07:10,633 --> 00:07:11,633 and he drove away. 152 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:13,266 It was certainly red flags for us. 153 00:07:13,433 --> 00:07:16,200 You know, Barbara's in a bar at closing time, 154 00:07:16,367 --> 00:07:19,300 gets into an argument with two individuals, 155 00:07:19,467 --> 00:07:22,300 and those two individuals somehow show up at her house. 156 00:07:22,467 --> 00:07:24,867 [Nancy] Then came disturbing reports 157 00:07:25,033 --> 00:07:28,000 of gunfire aimed at the bouncer. 158 00:07:34,033 --> 00:07:38,300 This is a significant concern, and it's really an escalation. 159 00:07:38,467 --> 00:07:43,934 ♪ 160 00:07:50,734 --> 00:07:52,066 Welcome back to Crime Beat. 161 00:07:52,233 --> 00:07:53,500 As police investigate 162 00:07:53,667 --> 00:07:55,700 the disappearance of Barbara Eyapaise, 163 00:07:55,867 --> 00:07:58,100 they are confronted with conflicting stories 164 00:07:58,266 --> 00:08:00,066 about her final hours. 165 00:08:00,233 --> 00:08:02,500 That is, until key evidence came to light 166 00:08:02,667 --> 00:08:04,700 from an unexpected eyewitness. 167 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,867 Here again is Nancy Hixt with "Last Call." 168 00:08:15,500 --> 00:08:16,934 I'll keep burning it for her 169 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:19,033 until I hear something, you know? 170 00:08:20,133 --> 00:08:22,800 [Nancy] Nellie Eyapaise kept a candle burning 171 00:08:22,967 --> 00:08:25,066 for her missing daughter, Barbara, 172 00:08:25,233 --> 00:08:28,500 as a sign of hope that she'd be found safe. 173 00:08:28,667 --> 00:08:30,400 [Nellie] Nobody's seen her 174 00:08:30,567 --> 00:08:32,767 or heard from her or anything. 175 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:35,066 That's not like Barbara. 176 00:08:35,233 --> 00:08:38,567 She would have got in contact with one of us. 177 00:08:39,567 --> 00:08:41,633 [Nancy] Barbara was working as a waitress 178 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:43,800 at a downtown Calgary restaurant 179 00:08:43,967 --> 00:08:47,867 and had recently been accepted into a nursing program. 180 00:08:48,033 --> 00:08:50,600 Just days before her disappearance, 181 00:08:50,767 --> 00:08:53,367 she had spent time with her family. 182 00:08:53,533 --> 00:08:55,233 [Bob] Well, that's when she came over, 183 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,867 cooked that beautiful meal, and I walked her outside. 184 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:03,133 She had a bike. She was gone. 185 00:09:03,300 --> 00:09:06,166 She only lived a few blocks away. 186 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,100 [Nancy] With every day that passed, 187 00:09:09,266 --> 00:09:12,467 Barbara's family became more fearful. 188 00:09:12,633 --> 00:09:14,467 I'm worried that she's not all right, 189 00:09:14,633 --> 00:09:17,767 like, she could be hurt or even dead, 190 00:09:17,934 --> 00:09:20,166 because I fear the worst. 191 00:09:20,333 --> 00:09:23,533 Just the not knowing, like, no one knew anything. 192 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:25,467 Not knowing is the worst, 193 00:09:25,633 --> 00:09:28,333 right, because it could be anything. 194 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:33,700 My mother said that she'd got a call from the bar manager 195 00:09:33,867 --> 00:09:37,367 and said that Barbara was there at the club 196 00:09:37,533 --> 00:09:40,700 and that she was going to be getting a ride home 197 00:09:40,867 --> 00:09:42,433 from one of the staff members. 198 00:09:43,433 --> 00:09:46,066 But that was all she said 199 00:09:46,233 --> 00:09:49,133 and that's all she knew, but she never showed up. 200 00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:51,400 You know, I can't imagine what it's like for the family 201 00:09:51,567 --> 00:09:53,867 when you've got your 24-year-old 202 00:09:54,033 --> 00:09:58,166 that's gone missing and you had just been out with her 203 00:09:58,333 --> 00:09:59,633 just before she went missing. 204 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:01,266 So the family, as they're trying to help 205 00:10:01,433 --> 00:10:02,934 and they're trying to get information, 206 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:04,900 they also know about this argument 207 00:10:05,066 --> 00:10:06,400 that took place in the bar. 208 00:10:06,567 --> 00:10:09,166 They're talking to family and friends. 209 00:10:09,333 --> 00:10:10,800 They're getting some of this information, 210 00:10:10,967 --> 00:10:14,800 and they are very convinced that these two individuals 211 00:10:14,967 --> 00:10:17,834 must be responsible because they're the only ones 212 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,767 that anybody saw Barbara have a conflict with. 213 00:10:20,934 --> 00:10:24,367 They now show up at her house, parked outside, 214 00:10:24,533 --> 00:10:26,700 and you now have the bouncer claiming 215 00:10:26,867 --> 00:10:30,166 that his window was shot out by them. 216 00:10:30,333 --> 00:10:32,633 So, like this is definitely an escalation 217 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,000 in this particular investigation. 218 00:10:36,066 --> 00:10:38,667 [Nancy] The bouncer went to his local police station 219 00:10:38,834 --> 00:10:40,967 and provided officers with a description 220 00:10:41,133 --> 00:10:42,734 of the suspect vehicle 221 00:10:42,900 --> 00:10:44,900 and details of what happened. 222 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:20,867 [Nancy] The bouncer told police 223 00:11:21,033 --> 00:11:24,467 he was targeted because he could identify the men 224 00:11:24,633 --> 00:11:27,266 responsible for Barbara's disappearance. 225 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:50,934 [Nancy] The witness volunteered 226 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:53,333 to have police examine his truck 227 00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:56,900 to help them find the person responsible for the shooting. 228 00:11:57,734 --> 00:11:58,867 [O'Brien] There was a substantial amount 229 00:11:59,033 --> 00:12:00,667 of investigative work that went into this, 230 00:12:00,834 --> 00:12:03,233 and in particular into trying to identify 231 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:05,400 these two individuals, but we did, 232 00:12:05,567 --> 00:12:07,266 and we were able to go 233 00:12:07,433 --> 00:12:09,934 and interview both of those males 234 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:12,500 that Barbara had that argument with. 235 00:12:12,667 --> 00:12:14,633 We interviewed them separately. 236 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,133 Their stories were very similar, 237 00:12:16,300 --> 00:12:19,200 and their story was that they did leave the bar, 238 00:12:19,367 --> 00:12:20,667 but they left the bar in a cab, 239 00:12:20,834 --> 00:12:22,367 and they gave us a cab number. 240 00:12:22,533 --> 00:12:24,467 When we tracked down their alibi, 241 00:12:24,633 --> 00:12:26,000 it seems to check out. 242 00:12:26,166 --> 00:12:27,900 We got a taxi receipt 243 00:12:28,066 --> 00:12:30,300 that indicated that, in fact, they did take a taxi. 244 00:12:30,467 --> 00:12:32,000 We talked to the roommates that said, 245 00:12:32,166 --> 00:12:33,800 "Yes, this is when they showed up." 246 00:12:33,967 --> 00:12:36,900 And so we've got two conflicting stories 247 00:12:37,066 --> 00:12:38,033 going on here. 248 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:39,533 We're not really sure what's going on, 249 00:12:39,700 --> 00:12:42,100 but it appears that these males are not involved 250 00:12:42,266 --> 00:12:43,500 in her disappearance. 251 00:12:43,667 --> 00:12:47,633 [Nancy] And then another startling development. 252 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,100 [O'Brian] We were able to determine that 253 00:12:49,266 --> 00:12:51,000 there's no way that that vehicle was shot at. 254 00:12:51,166 --> 00:12:52,867 So, we had our forensic crime scenes unit 255 00:12:53,033 --> 00:12:56,066 look at that window, and it was broken for sure, 256 00:12:56,233 --> 00:12:57,667 but they were able to determine 257 00:12:57,834 --> 00:12:59,266 that it was not shot out. 258 00:12:59,433 --> 00:13:01,533 That it looked like it was some type of instrument 259 00:13:01,700 --> 00:13:03,000 that had broken it. 260 00:13:03,166 --> 00:13:06,834 It definitely was not broken by a bullet. 261 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,900 That that part of the story that he provided, 262 00:13:10,066 --> 00:13:12,667 there's something wrong there, because that is not accurate. 263 00:13:13,633 --> 00:13:17,233 [Nancy] Why would Fred Abma, the Renegade's bouncer, 264 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:18,900 lie to officers about 265 00:13:19,066 --> 00:13:21,300 a missing persons investigation? 266 00:13:22,333 --> 00:13:24,300 [Howland] There's so many conversations with him. 267 00:13:24,467 --> 00:13:26,300 He's starting to get suspicious that 268 00:13:26,467 --> 00:13:28,367 maybe we think he's the suspect. 269 00:13:28,533 --> 00:13:31,667 And he says that we need to talk to his friend, 270 00:13:31,834 --> 00:13:35,800 where he went after he had dropped the victim off. 271 00:13:35,967 --> 00:13:37,266 I went and talked to that friend 272 00:13:37,433 --> 00:13:40,467 and got a written alibi, a statement stating 273 00:13:40,633 --> 00:13:44,233 that Mr. Abma had been to that house 274 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:49,100 from, like, 2:30 till 4:30 in the morning on the 18th. 275 00:13:49,266 --> 00:13:50,600 So, we have an alibi. 276 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,300 [Nancy] By now, Barbara's case had become front page news. 277 00:13:58,467 --> 00:14:02,300 But what happened to her remained a mystery. 278 00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:04,767 [O'Brien] It's pretty clear that somebody's lying to us. 279 00:14:04,934 --> 00:14:07,400 And so we need to figure out who that is. 280 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:10,834 We could not find any footprints of life 281 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,867 for Barbara after she left Renegades. 282 00:14:15,033 --> 00:14:16,900 So when we looked at banking information, 283 00:14:17,066 --> 00:14:18,734 there was no banking information. 284 00:14:18,900 --> 00:14:21,166 She had a job. She didn't show up to her job. 285 00:14:21,333 --> 00:14:24,233 We already know that she had not contacted her family. 286 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,900 We know that she had missed that appointment with her dad. 287 00:14:27,066 --> 00:14:29,767 All of these pieces coming together 288 00:14:29,934 --> 00:14:31,333 causes us great concern 289 00:14:31,500 --> 00:14:35,633 that something more has happened to Barbara. 290 00:14:36,867 --> 00:14:38,567 [Nancy] That's when police finally 291 00:14:38,734 --> 00:14:40,200 got a break in the case. 292 00:14:40,367 --> 00:14:45,700 ♪ 293 00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:52,834 ng] 294 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,300 [Nancy] Just over a week 295 00:14:54,467 --> 00:14:57,233 after Barbara Eyapaise vanished, 296 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,867 the investigation unraveled in an entirely new direction. 297 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,800 A semi-truck driver came forward to police 298 00:15:05,967 --> 00:15:08,834 to report a shocking scene on the highway 299 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,100 early in the morning of January 18th, 300 00:15:12,266 --> 00:15:15,433 just hours after Barbara was last seen 301 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,834 leaving Renegades Bar. 302 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,533 We got a witness statement from the RCMP 303 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:22,667 that originated from a truck driver 304 00:15:22,834 --> 00:15:27,100 who had seen a suspicious vehicle out south of Langdon. 305 00:15:27,266 --> 00:15:29,133 It was nighttime. It was snowing. 306 00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:30,834 He was behind this pickup truck. 307 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,033 This truck driver said that he had seen a woman 308 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,066 trying to get out of the passenger side cab 309 00:15:37,233 --> 00:15:38,533 of the truck. 310 00:15:38,700 --> 00:15:40,900 He's thinking, "This is strange." His brain clicks. 311 00:15:41,066 --> 00:15:43,934 He gets a hold of the RCMP. He provides a statement. 312 00:15:44,967 --> 00:15:47,934 [Nancy] The truck driver had seen a newspaper article 313 00:15:48,100 --> 00:15:51,600 about the missing persons case in Calgary and said 314 00:15:51,767 --> 00:15:54,066 he believed the woman he saw 315 00:15:54,233 --> 00:15:56,900 could have been Barbara Eyapaise. 316 00:16:14,934 --> 00:16:17,734 [Nancy] The trucker took police on the exact route 317 00:16:17,900 --> 00:16:19,500 he drove that night. 318 00:16:43,367 --> 00:16:44,900 [Nancy] That's when it appeared 319 00:16:45,066 --> 00:16:47,867 the woman tried to get out of the truck. 320 00:17:25,133 --> 00:17:27,066 An older model blue Dodge Dakota pickup 321 00:17:27,233 --> 00:17:28,934 with a burned-out taillight. 322 00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:30,200 He's following them along. 323 00:17:31,333 --> 00:17:36,000 And when they get to Langdon, they turn right, head south. 324 00:17:36,166 --> 00:17:38,667 When they're about to cross, 325 00:17:38,834 --> 00:17:41,467 they were going straight across Highway 22, 326 00:17:41,633 --> 00:17:44,400 he saw the passenger side door open, and... 327 00:17:45,834 --> 00:17:48,633 there was a woman who appeared to be naked 328 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,300 trying to get out of the truck. 329 00:17:50,467 --> 00:17:52,400 [Nancy] The bouncer who gave Barbara 330 00:17:52,567 --> 00:17:54,367 a ride home from the bar, 331 00:17:54,533 --> 00:17:59,867 Fred Abma, drove a dark blue Dodge half-ton truck. 332 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:03,367 We got a witness describing a vehicle 333 00:18:03,533 --> 00:18:07,066 that's the same description as what the original witness 334 00:18:07,233 --> 00:18:08,934 that I drove around had. 335 00:18:10,066 --> 00:18:11,367 This vehicle, 336 00:18:11,533 --> 00:18:14,600 another witness had seen a woman trying to get out of it. 337 00:18:14,767 --> 00:18:16,934 We've got a missing person case 338 00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:19,600 where the witness that owns a pickup truck 339 00:18:19,767 --> 00:18:21,633 admitted that he drove her home in it. 340 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,767 [Nancy] Police put out a press release 341 00:18:23,934 --> 00:18:25,967 stating there was new information 342 00:18:26,133 --> 00:18:29,266 on the disappearance of Barbara Eyapaise, 343 00:18:29,433 --> 00:18:31,266 [Howland] May have been a dark-colored pickup truck 344 00:18:31,433 --> 00:18:35,100 in this line of traffic, and we've been told 345 00:18:35,266 --> 00:18:37,166 there were two people in this truck 346 00:18:37,333 --> 00:18:39,734 that were attracting the attention of other motorists. 347 00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:41,367 So we're asking if anyone has seen this 348 00:18:41,533 --> 00:18:43,100 or has any information regarding this truck, 349 00:18:43,266 --> 00:18:44,567 if they could give us a call. 350 00:18:44,734 --> 00:18:46,934 So, what we released to the media as a follow-up 351 00:18:47,100 --> 00:18:49,734 was a description of this truck, 352 00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:51,266 including the fact that the truck had 353 00:18:51,433 --> 00:18:52,667 a burnt-out taillight. 354 00:18:52,834 --> 00:18:54,433 We released the fact that 355 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:56,967 there was two occupants of the vehicle 356 00:18:57,133 --> 00:18:59,734 and they seemed to be in some type of altercation, 357 00:18:59,900 --> 00:19:02,033 and we released the time 358 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,000 and the location of this vehicle. 359 00:19:04,166 --> 00:19:07,100 What we didn't release and what was hold back for us 360 00:19:07,266 --> 00:19:09,967 was the fact that the truck driver 361 00:19:10,133 --> 00:19:13,767 saw a female trying to get out of the vehicle 362 00:19:13,934 --> 00:19:16,700 and through that door and then being pulled back. 363 00:19:16,867 --> 00:19:19,300 And so that's the piece that we held back 364 00:19:19,467 --> 00:19:20,767 in this particular case. 365 00:19:20,934 --> 00:19:23,567 By now, Mr. Abma is a suspect. 366 00:19:23,734 --> 00:19:27,333 We've got people following him 24-7. 367 00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:29,700 Well, then we would watch Mr. Abma. 368 00:19:29,867 --> 00:19:31,400 He fixed his taillight the next morning 369 00:19:31,567 --> 00:19:33,400 when the information came out in the paper. 370 00:19:33,567 --> 00:19:35,834 Certainly this is looking suspicious. 371 00:19:37,266 --> 00:19:38,300 [Nancy] Just over a month 372 00:19:38,467 --> 00:19:41,100 after Barbara Eyapaise vanished, 373 00:19:41,266 --> 00:19:43,967 searchers began scouring the countryside 374 00:19:44,133 --> 00:19:45,800 east of Calgary. 375 00:19:45,967 --> 00:19:47,333 [Glen] Looking for things that are unusual, 376 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:48,834 out of place, 377 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,900 and that's the job that we do. 378 00:19:51,967 --> 00:19:53,900 [O'Brien] So as we track Barbara's whereabouts 379 00:19:54,066 --> 00:19:56,533 as best we can, we know she left Renegades, 380 00:19:56,700 --> 00:19:58,600 and then we suspect that a few hours later 381 00:19:58,767 --> 00:20:01,500 at four o'clock in the morning that she was seen 382 00:20:01,667 --> 00:20:03,767 in that truck trying to get out. 383 00:20:03,934 --> 00:20:06,900 So what we did was the investigators 384 00:20:07,066 --> 00:20:10,700 arranged for a search of that particular area. 385 00:20:10,867 --> 00:20:14,133 So, we started searching south of Langdon. 386 00:20:14,300 --> 00:20:15,367 Huge area. 387 00:20:16,367 --> 00:20:19,300 Some of us were out there on our own time, 388 00:20:19,467 --> 00:20:20,700 driving around just trying to see 389 00:20:20,867 --> 00:20:22,033 what the lay of the land and stuff. 390 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:23,900 We got our search and rescue teams out there, 391 00:20:24,066 --> 00:20:27,066 and we searched and searched along the highway, you know, 392 00:20:27,233 --> 00:20:29,834 back a few hundred feet, looking for small items. 393 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,633 So it wasn't-- We weren't looking for big items. 394 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,600 We were looking for anything we could find. 395 00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:39,066 [Nancy] The search continued for weeks. 396 00:20:39,233 --> 00:20:41,033 [Rocks] Well, we have found some items, 397 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:42,767 but we don't know their significance 398 00:20:42,934 --> 00:20:44,333 or relevance to the investigation. 399 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:45,900 That'll be done at a later time. 400 00:20:46,066 --> 00:20:47,633 We're just going to collect everything that we can, 401 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,300 and our [indistinct] people 402 00:20:50,467 --> 00:20:52,767 will be examined thoroughly afterwards. 403 00:20:52,934 --> 00:20:56,266 [Nancy] But there was still no sign of Barbara. 404 00:20:56,433 --> 00:20:57,900 [Howland] We had a belief that 405 00:20:58,066 --> 00:21:00,467 she was no longer alive, and we were determined 406 00:21:00,633 --> 00:21:04,400 to do everything we could to find her killer. 407 00:21:04,567 --> 00:21:08,600 I was giving news releases, like, I met with the reporters 408 00:21:08,767 --> 00:21:12,633 in a parking lot by my home or in the office 409 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:16,133 or out at Renegades and stuff like that. 410 00:21:16,300 --> 00:21:18,033 Like, it was just constant. 411 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:22,233 So, this is where Renegades used to be. 412 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:23,700 The bar is gone. 413 00:21:23,867 --> 00:21:25,100 The main entrance would have been there 414 00:21:25,266 --> 00:21:26,900 where that chipboard's on the wall. 415 00:21:27,066 --> 00:21:29,800 [Nancy] Detective Howland stayed in constant contact 416 00:21:29,967 --> 00:21:33,066 with the Renegades bouncer, Fred Abma, 417 00:21:33,233 --> 00:21:36,767 never letting on that he was considered a suspect. 418 00:21:37,667 --> 00:21:39,834 "So, what do you think happened? 419 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,133 You're the last person to see our victim. 420 00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:44,633 What do you think happened?" 421 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,600 Nothing that Abma was telling us made sense. 422 00:21:48,567 --> 00:21:50,233 All it did was raise suspicions. 423 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,000 [Nancy] What Abma didn't realize was that 424 00:21:53,166 --> 00:21:57,066 covert officers were watching him 24-7. 425 00:21:59,133 --> 00:22:02,467 He spent time establishing his own business 426 00:22:02,633 --> 00:22:04,734 called Fast Fred's. 427 00:22:04,900 --> 00:22:06,467 [Cole] He was delivering appliances. 428 00:22:07,333 --> 00:22:09,166 It might have been a dryer, some kind of appliance. 429 00:22:09,333 --> 00:22:11,300 He had delivered to a location of ours. 430 00:22:11,467 --> 00:22:13,934 [Nancy] At that seemingly chance meeting, 431 00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:16,500 Fred Abma struck up a conversation 432 00:22:16,667 --> 00:22:18,166 and jumped at a chance 433 00:22:18,333 --> 00:22:21,200 to discuss possible business opportunities 434 00:22:21,367 --> 00:22:23,567 over drinks at a Calgary bar. 435 00:22:35,266 --> 00:22:36,533 [O'Brien] Throughout the entire investigation, 436 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:38,900 the investigators are continuing to look to see 437 00:22:39,066 --> 00:22:42,367 if there's other investigative strategies that they could use. 438 00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:45,000 It's been months now, and we still have had 439 00:22:45,166 --> 00:22:47,166 no signs of life from Barbara, 440 00:22:47,333 --> 00:22:50,066 and we're not moving the investigation further. 441 00:22:50,233 --> 00:22:54,667 The investigators make a very bold choice to see 442 00:22:54,834 --> 00:22:55,967 if they could introduce 443 00:22:56,133 --> 00:22:59,700 undercover operators into Abma's life. 444 00:23:28,934 --> 00:23:31,333 They were happy to involve Mr. Abma, 445 00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:34,000 and they would pay him cash for... 446 00:23:34,166 --> 00:23:35,900 For small jobs that he would do, 447 00:23:36,066 --> 00:23:38,967 and this is how the friendship developed. 448 00:23:39,133 --> 00:23:40,934 What always happens in these operations 449 00:23:41,100 --> 00:23:44,433 is that the undercover officers... 450 00:23:45,967 --> 00:23:49,867 want to gain the trust of their target. 451 00:23:50,033 --> 00:23:52,667 They want the target to fully believe 452 00:23:52,834 --> 00:23:54,633 that they are criminals. 453 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,467 At the time, we were given very limited information, 454 00:23:57,633 --> 00:23:59,000 or at least I was, 455 00:23:59,166 --> 00:24:01,367 and the reason we have limited information 456 00:24:01,533 --> 00:24:03,367 is to protect the integrity of the investigation 457 00:24:03,533 --> 00:24:06,066 so that we don't know what happened, right? 458 00:24:06,233 --> 00:24:09,700 I was aware that a woman by the name 459 00:24:09,867 --> 00:24:12,767 of Barbara Eyapaise was missing, 460 00:24:12,934 --> 00:24:15,667 and it was believed that she may have been 461 00:24:15,834 --> 00:24:17,934 the victim of a homicide, 462 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:21,133 and that Mr. Abma was the suspect 463 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:25,033 that the homicide detectives had identified. 464 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,867 It's a tough file, and... 465 00:24:28,033 --> 00:24:31,200 even though Abma has been lying to us, 466 00:24:31,367 --> 00:24:33,700 and he's a suspect, we need evidence. 467 00:24:33,867 --> 00:24:36,266 It's not good enough just to say he lied. 468 00:24:36,433 --> 00:24:37,300 We need evidence, 469 00:24:37,467 --> 00:24:39,533 We need to find Barbara, 470 00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:42,767 and/or we need some other break in this particular case. 471 00:24:42,934 --> 00:24:48,000 ♪ 472 00:24:54,667 --> 00:24:58,700 [woman singing] 473 00:25:02,967 --> 00:25:04,166 [Nancy] Exactly two months 474 00:25:04,333 --> 00:25:07,200 after Barbara Eyapaise disappeared, 475 00:25:07,367 --> 00:25:10,233 family, friends, and strangers gathered 476 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,433 for a candlelight vigil. 477 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:14,266 [Nellie] I'm just taking it a day at a time, 478 00:25:14,433 --> 00:25:16,467 like, day by day, like, it's hard. 479 00:25:16,633 --> 00:25:18,233 It's really hard not knowing, 480 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,000 and this cold weather doesn't help. 481 00:25:20,166 --> 00:25:23,166 Like, you know, I worry about where she could be, 482 00:25:23,333 --> 00:25:25,500 she could be cold. 483 00:25:25,667 --> 00:25:27,533 No, but I'm just... 484 00:25:27,700 --> 00:25:29,533 I just feel that there's something wrong 485 00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:33,400 because she would have been trying to contact anyone of us. 486 00:25:33,567 --> 00:25:38,133 [woman singing] 487 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:39,700 [Nancy] As time passed, 488 00:25:39,867 --> 00:25:43,467 Barbara's mother found it hard to stay positive. 489 00:25:43,633 --> 00:25:45,734 [Nellie] I have hopes that they'll find her 490 00:25:45,900 --> 00:25:49,066 and find out what happened to her, 491 00:25:49,233 --> 00:25:52,133 but I don't think I'll see my girl alive again. 492 00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:54,800 I just, you know, I just have that feeling. 493 00:25:56,467 --> 00:25:59,533 After a month or two goes by, 494 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:02,300 you just basically know it's... 495 00:26:02,467 --> 00:26:05,166 It can turn out one way, right? 496 00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:09,500 [Nancy] Police continued to search east of the city, 497 00:26:09,667 --> 00:26:12,967 where the semi-truck driver believed he saw Barbara 498 00:26:13,133 --> 00:26:15,700 trying to escape from the vehicle. 499 00:26:15,867 --> 00:26:19,100 So now we arranged for more of our search and rescue teams. 500 00:26:19,266 --> 00:26:20,667 They come out. 501 00:26:20,834 --> 00:26:22,834 They were out, I think, a total of three times. 502 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:24,166 One time we had, 503 00:26:24,333 --> 00:26:26,734 must have had 50 members out there, 504 00:26:26,900 --> 00:26:28,600 like, walking the bush 505 00:26:28,767 --> 00:26:30,333 and down by the river and stuff like that. 506 00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:31,900 We needed to go over that land 507 00:26:32,066 --> 00:26:35,300 because you can hide a body behind a tree, 508 00:26:36,233 --> 00:26:39,066 and we believed that she was out in that area. 509 00:26:39,233 --> 00:26:41,900 On our own time, like when we're not scheduled to work, 510 00:26:42,066 --> 00:26:43,567 let's go look. 511 00:26:43,734 --> 00:26:46,767 [Nancy] At this point, the undercover operation 512 00:26:46,934 --> 00:26:49,734 targeting the bouncer, Fred Abma, 513 00:26:49,900 --> 00:26:51,734 was well underway. 514 00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:53,066 [Der] Mr. Abma... 515 00:26:54,734 --> 00:26:57,433 I believe, at least at that point in time, 516 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,333 may have started to feel that he was in the clear 517 00:27:00,500 --> 00:27:01,934 because it was-- 518 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:03,767 Nothing was being said anymore 519 00:27:03,934 --> 00:27:05,533 on the news or media. 520 00:27:05,700 --> 00:27:07,633 The police weren't hounding him. 521 00:27:19,333 --> 00:27:21,900 [Nancy] Then, three-and-a-half months 522 00:27:22,066 --> 00:27:24,667 after Barbara Eyapaise vanished... 523 00:27:25,734 --> 00:27:26,900 [Howland] On the 27th of April, 524 00:27:27,066 --> 00:27:28,600 we got a phone call 525 00:27:28,767 --> 00:27:31,000 that a fisherman had found a body 526 00:27:31,166 --> 00:27:33,700 in the Bow River, south of Langdon. 527 00:27:36,033 --> 00:27:37,800 [Nancy] Investigators drove about an hour 528 00:27:37,967 --> 00:27:41,266 southeast of Calgary to investigate further, 529 00:27:41,433 --> 00:27:43,266 to the south shore of the river 530 00:27:43,433 --> 00:27:46,233 near Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park. 531 00:27:47,500 --> 00:27:49,300 [Howland] We had help from Fish and Wildlife. 532 00:27:49,467 --> 00:27:51,100 They provided a boat and an operator that-- 533 00:27:51,266 --> 00:27:53,166 We got her on the boat, and they took her over 534 00:27:53,333 --> 00:27:54,800 to a wharf where they could load her 535 00:27:54,967 --> 00:27:56,200 into the coroner's van. 536 00:27:56,367 --> 00:27:58,066 Rather than get people's hopes up or not, 537 00:27:58,233 --> 00:27:59,567 we're going to wait until the M-E tells us 538 00:27:59,734 --> 00:28:00,767 who the victim is. 539 00:28:00,934 --> 00:28:02,867 So after the remains were located, 540 00:28:03,033 --> 00:28:06,867 we did send out a media release with regards to that, 541 00:28:07,033 --> 00:28:09,333 just that we located the remains. 542 00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:12,367 And then we saw a newspaper article that actually came out 543 00:28:12,533 --> 00:28:14,100 that talked about what we released, 544 00:28:14,266 --> 00:28:17,533 but also put in some additional information in there. 545 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:21,500 It talked about the truck driver and that particular tip, 546 00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:25,567 and it also quoted Abma in that article. 547 00:28:25,734 --> 00:28:28,033 But what was of interest to us in particular 548 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,100 was the fact that in the article, 549 00:28:30,266 --> 00:28:32,700 it talked about a female trying to get out 550 00:28:32,867 --> 00:28:36,367 of the passenger window of a truck. 551 00:28:36,533 --> 00:28:37,600 "They were following up a report 552 00:28:37,767 --> 00:28:39,567 of a partially nude woman seen struggling 553 00:28:39,734 --> 00:28:41,667 and hanging out of the passenger window 554 00:28:41,834 --> 00:28:44,800 of a moving pickup truck along Highway 22X." 555 00:28:44,967 --> 00:28:47,367 [O'Brien] And that was supposedly a tip 556 00:28:47,533 --> 00:28:48,934 that had come from the truck driver. 557 00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:51,033 That was not information we had released, 558 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,133 and in fact, it wasn't accurate. 559 00:28:53,300 --> 00:28:56,400 As we know, she was-- A female was trying to get out 560 00:28:56,567 --> 00:28:59,633 of the door, not the window. 561 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,633 So for us, it was inaccurate, 562 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,400 and we just let it play. 563 00:29:05,567 --> 00:29:06,767 I know it's her. 564 00:29:07,633 --> 00:29:10,667 [Nancy] Even without official confirmation, 565 00:29:10,834 --> 00:29:13,700 Nellie Eyapaise felt in her heart 566 00:29:13,867 --> 00:29:16,200 that the body recovered from the river 567 00:29:16,367 --> 00:29:18,033 was Barbara. 568 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,233 [Nellie] Something told me that she was in the water. 569 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,033 I just-- Gut, I don't know. 570 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:23,333 It's, you know, mother's intuition, 571 00:29:23,500 --> 00:29:25,433 I guess you'd call it, but I just knew 572 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:27,467 she was in the water somewhere. 573 00:29:28,300 --> 00:29:30,300 [Nancy] That's when she blew out the candle 574 00:29:30,467 --> 00:29:32,700 she had kept lit for her daughter. 575 00:29:35,166 --> 00:29:36,834 [O'Brien] In this particular case, 576 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,400 it took dental records and skeletal records 577 00:29:39,567 --> 00:29:41,834 to confirm that in fact 578 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,667 the body the fishermen saw was Barbara. 579 00:29:44,834 --> 00:29:46,934 As far as cause of death goes, 580 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:50,834 the medical examiner said it was really undetermined, 581 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,300 but he couldn't rule out choking. 582 00:29:53,467 --> 00:29:55,934 It was not easy, because Nellie wanted to see her daughter 583 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:58,567 and I had to tell Nellie that 584 00:29:58,734 --> 00:30:01,000 there's not going to be an open casket. 585 00:30:01,166 --> 00:30:02,967 You know, she was in bad shape. 586 00:30:03,567 --> 00:30:06,800 Three months under the water, under the ice... 587 00:30:07,967 --> 00:30:10,100 above the ice, predation. 588 00:30:10,266 --> 00:30:11,700 You know, she was in rough shape. 589 00:30:11,867 --> 00:30:13,600 [Nellie] We're just going to put her to rest, 590 00:30:13,767 --> 00:30:15,600 have a decent funeral for her, 591 00:30:17,266 --> 00:30:18,834 And just try and continue on. 592 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:20,166 Like, it's going to be hard, 593 00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:23,934 but that's what Barbara would want. 594 00:30:24,100 --> 00:30:26,100 She was a fighter right to the end. 595 00:30:26,266 --> 00:30:28,367 [Nancy] Once again, Barbara's case 596 00:30:28,533 --> 00:30:30,433 topped local news headlines. 597 00:30:31,333 --> 00:30:33,233 [O'Brien] Well, when we have an undercover operation 598 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,033 ongoing and there's something 599 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,300 that is significant to the file that happens, 600 00:30:38,467 --> 00:30:41,233 such as in this case where we've located Barbara, 601 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,767 and we've now gone public with that information, 602 00:30:43,934 --> 00:30:45,800 or at least some of that information, 603 00:30:45,967 --> 00:30:50,266 it often is a great opportunity 604 00:30:50,433 --> 00:30:52,567 for our undercover operators 605 00:30:52,734 --> 00:30:56,967 and the subject to have conversation around it. 606 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:59,633 [Nancy] And that's exactly what happened, 607 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:04,000 just days after Barbara's body was recovered. 608 00:31:04,166 --> 00:31:06,967 [Cole] At that time, we were still 609 00:31:07,133 --> 00:31:08,700 hanging out with Mr. Abma. 610 00:31:08,867 --> 00:31:10,600 Maybe he felt like the police were kind of closing in 611 00:31:10,767 --> 00:31:13,300 and that he was feeling his jeopardy. 612 00:31:13,467 --> 00:31:15,433 The police had reached out to him 613 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:17,834 and claimed that they had some new evidence 614 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:19,400 or something to that effect, 615 00:31:19,567 --> 00:31:22,200 and wanted to interview him again. 616 00:31:22,367 --> 00:31:25,900 And it was following that that he had... 617 00:31:27,233 --> 00:31:29,500 essentially told myself 618 00:31:29,667 --> 00:31:33,567 and another operator that he was involved 619 00:31:33,734 --> 00:31:36,500 and responsible for Barbara Eyapaise death. 620 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:44,500 And so, as it always does go, 621 00:31:45,300 --> 00:31:47,700 they talk about Mr. Big. 622 00:31:47,867 --> 00:31:50,100 They talk about their boss, 623 00:31:50,266 --> 00:31:53,333 and that their boss can fix a lot of things 624 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:55,767 in the criminal justice area. 625 00:31:56,767 --> 00:32:00,433 Mr. Abma just has to be frank and truthful with the boss 626 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,300 so that he knows what the real problem is and how to fix it. 627 00:32:13,767 --> 00:32:16,633 [Cole] According to Mr. Abma, they had consensual sex 628 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,600 and then afterwards, he went to drive her home. 629 00:32:19,767 --> 00:32:23,100 And at that point in time, he said that Ms. Eyapaise 630 00:32:23,266 --> 00:32:26,166 accused him of, in his words, of raping her. 631 00:32:26,333 --> 00:32:31,700 He said that he did not want that allegation of rape. 632 00:32:31,867 --> 00:32:34,467 He knew somebody that had been charged previously 633 00:32:34,633 --> 00:32:35,834 and what that person went through, 634 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,066 and he didn't want to go through the same thing. 635 00:32:38,233 --> 00:32:40,500 So, I think he used the words 636 00:32:40,667 --> 00:32:42,934 getting rid of the problem or taking care of the problem 637 00:32:43,100 --> 00:32:44,400 or something to that effect. 638 00:32:44,567 --> 00:32:47,300 From that, he said that he ended up driving... 639 00:32:48,633 --> 00:32:50,667 down Highway 797 640 00:32:50,834 --> 00:32:52,867 down to a body of water 641 00:32:53,033 --> 00:32:56,934 where he had killed Ms. Eyapaise 642 00:32:57,100 --> 00:32:59,333 and discarded her into the river. 643 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,533 [Nancy] Abma told officers that a trucker 644 00:33:05,700 --> 00:33:08,767 likely saw Barbara as she tried to escape 645 00:33:08,934 --> 00:33:11,700 out the passenger door of his truck. 646 00:33:33,166 --> 00:33:36,367 Hold back is so important in... 647 00:33:36,533 --> 00:33:38,567 really any investigation, 648 00:33:38,734 --> 00:33:41,066 but certainly investigations like this. 649 00:33:41,233 --> 00:33:43,967 And in this particular case, 650 00:33:44,133 --> 00:33:45,967 what we had was Abma 651 00:33:46,133 --> 00:33:49,533 talking to undercover operators and he confessed to the crime. 652 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:52,166 He confessed to murdering Barbara. 653 00:33:52,333 --> 00:33:54,133 But on top of that, there's what I would call 654 00:33:54,300 --> 00:33:55,500 a reverse hold back. 655 00:33:55,667 --> 00:33:57,834 There was the information that was in the article 656 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:02,066 about a female trying to get out of a passenger window 657 00:34:02,233 --> 00:34:04,333 of the truck on Glenmore Trail. 658 00:34:04,500 --> 00:34:06,734 And we know that that's not what happened. 659 00:34:06,900 --> 00:34:10,500 And in fact, Abma was adamant that that's not what happened. 660 00:34:10,667 --> 00:34:12,367 And he told the undercover operators, 661 00:34:12,533 --> 00:34:14,266 actually she was trying to get out of the door. 662 00:34:14,433 --> 00:34:16,266 A female trying to get out of the door of that truck, 663 00:34:16,433 --> 00:34:17,567 we had never told anybody. 664 00:34:17,734 --> 00:34:19,367 We had never released to the media. 665 00:34:19,533 --> 00:34:22,200 And so, but he was adamant that the information 666 00:34:22,367 --> 00:34:24,000 about the window was inaccurate. 667 00:34:24,166 --> 00:34:26,033 And he was right, it was inaccurate. 668 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:27,633 That became very, very crucial 669 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,300 to corroborating his confession. 670 00:34:31,433 --> 00:34:33,433 [Nancy] At one point, Abner drew a map 671 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,700 for undercover officers to better describe the route 672 00:34:36,867 --> 00:34:39,567 he had taken after they left the bar. 673 00:34:59,367 --> 00:35:01,300 He had ran out of gas near Langdon. 674 00:35:01,467 --> 00:35:04,367 And that he had pushed his truck either 675 00:35:04,533 --> 00:35:06,533 up to the gas station or near the gas station. 676 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:11,200 He described the gas attendant and he also described 677 00:35:11,367 --> 00:35:15,433 telling us a story about how he told this gas attendant 678 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,633 that he was out there looking for a fifth wheel trailer 679 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,166 that he had sold to two guys from Newfoundland 680 00:35:21,333 --> 00:35:22,600 that didn't pay him. 681 00:35:22,767 --> 00:35:24,133 [Howland] They tracked down the lady that was working 682 00:35:24,300 --> 00:35:26,934 at the gas station at the time that Abma stopped there. 683 00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:28,400 Got a statement from her, and yes, 684 00:35:28,567 --> 00:35:29,900 she confirmed that he was there. 685 00:35:30,066 --> 00:35:31,600 Described his vehicle and him. 686 00:35:31,767 --> 00:35:34,533 And got his name because she had asked for it. 687 00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:36,867 It was pretty clear that 688 00:35:37,033 --> 00:35:40,467 this was a legitimate confession. 689 00:35:58,900 --> 00:35:59,834 Welcome back. 690 00:36:00,066 --> 00:36:01,100 Three and a half months 691 00:36:01,266 --> 00:36:03,233 after Barbara Eyapaise disappeared, 692 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:06,000 the search sadly ended in heartbreak. 693 00:36:06,166 --> 00:36:08,400 Her body was recovered from a river. 694 00:36:08,567 --> 00:36:10,934 Downstream, in fact, from where a semi-truck driver 695 00:36:11,100 --> 00:36:12,967 saw her trying to escape. 696 00:36:13,133 --> 00:36:17,367 Then, a confession in a Mr. Big sting operation, 697 00:36:17,533 --> 00:36:19,500 but would there be justice for Barbara? 698 00:36:21,767 --> 00:36:23,433 Here now is Nancy Hixt 699 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,333 with the conclusion of "Last Call." 700 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:33,600 Every day I put an X down that I-- 701 00:36:33,767 --> 00:36:36,767 that I haven't heard nothing, I haven't seen nothing. 702 00:36:36,934 --> 00:36:40,633 [Nancy] Nellie Eyapaise had marked 100 X's 703 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:44,867 on her calendar until her daughter was found. 704 00:36:45,033 --> 00:36:47,800 [Nellie] The 17th, that was the last day I was with my girl. 705 00:36:47,967 --> 00:36:50,266 A hundred days exactly, yeah. 706 00:36:50,433 --> 00:36:52,867 [Bob] It's the hardest thing in my life 707 00:36:53,033 --> 00:36:56,834 was the first hundred days 708 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,100 'til they recovered her body. 709 00:37:00,266 --> 00:37:04,200 It just drove me crazy every day. 710 00:37:04,367 --> 00:37:08,133 [Nancy] Just days later, on May 3rd, 2002, 711 00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:10,800 Fred Abma was arrested. 712 00:37:10,967 --> 00:37:12,467 [Nellie] I just put a big X on there 713 00:37:12,633 --> 00:37:14,467 that charges were laid down. 714 00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:15,934 They said, "We got good news, 715 00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:18,200 we found the guy, we've arrested him." 716 00:37:18,367 --> 00:37:21,300 The first thing that went through my mind was, 717 00:37:21,467 --> 00:37:23,100 "My girl, you can rest now. 718 00:37:23,266 --> 00:37:25,000 We found him. We found your killer." 719 00:37:25,166 --> 00:37:27,633 You know, "Whoever hurt you, we found him. 720 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:28,967 You can rest." 721 00:37:29,633 --> 00:37:30,800 He admitted to everything. 722 00:37:32,300 --> 00:37:34,100 You know, he confirmed it with the little things too. 723 00:37:34,266 --> 00:37:37,133 It wasn't just the admission to the undercover guys. 724 00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:39,533 It was, you know, telling us exactly 725 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:41,333 what the truck driver saw. 726 00:37:41,500 --> 00:37:42,834 No one else knew that. 727 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:44,867 Found a cell phone on the passenger side floor 728 00:37:45,033 --> 00:37:46,367 of his truck. 729 00:37:46,533 --> 00:37:47,734 Had 911 dial on it. 730 00:37:48,767 --> 00:37:50,767 How long was this girl alive? 731 00:37:50,934 --> 00:37:52,667 And she knew she was going to die. 732 00:37:53,567 --> 00:37:54,867 She was trying to get out of the truck 733 00:37:55,033 --> 00:37:56,233 when they crossed 22X. 734 00:37:57,367 --> 00:37:59,834 She knew it wasn't good. Imagine the fear. 735 00:38:01,033 --> 00:38:03,000 It's a relief to finally know that someone 736 00:38:03,166 --> 00:38:06,967 that can commit this type of a crime is off the streets 737 00:38:07,133 --> 00:38:10,066 and it's going to be facing a trial. 738 00:38:10,233 --> 00:38:13,400 [Nancy] Even after the damning confessions, 739 00:38:13,567 --> 00:38:15,600 investigators continued to search 740 00:38:15,767 --> 00:38:17,633 for further evidence. 741 00:38:19,233 --> 00:38:21,767 They returned to the shore of the Bow River, 742 00:38:21,934 --> 00:38:24,133 hoping to find Barbara's clothing. 743 00:38:26,667 --> 00:38:28,033 If they were located, for instance, 744 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,333 it might even give us a better understanding 745 00:38:30,500 --> 00:38:35,734 of what happened, those moments leading up to her death. 746 00:38:35,900 --> 00:38:37,066 And then I kept working on it, 747 00:38:37,233 --> 00:38:38,967 trying to just tie up loose ends and stuff. 748 00:38:39,133 --> 00:38:41,433 And I went back and talked to the original person 749 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:43,967 that gave us the alibi on May 5th, 750 00:38:44,133 --> 00:38:45,600 and he recanted everything and said, 751 00:38:45,767 --> 00:38:47,567 no, Abma had threatened him 752 00:38:47,734 --> 00:38:51,467 and, like, told him he had to tell us that he was there. 753 00:38:51,633 --> 00:38:53,700 I think it's a horrendous situation. 754 00:38:53,867 --> 00:38:55,767 You have this young woman 755 00:38:55,934 --> 00:38:57,900 that was out having a good time with family 756 00:38:58,066 --> 00:38:59,700 and then with friends, 757 00:38:59,867 --> 00:39:03,266 is looking to get a ride home, 758 00:39:03,433 --> 00:39:06,333 had money stolen from her so she couldn't take a cab, 759 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:10,233 is looking for a ride home, and she gets a ride 760 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:13,133 from somebody that, although off duty at the time, 761 00:39:13,300 --> 00:39:16,333 was working-- Works at that bar and works as a bouncer, 762 00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:18,800 works as a security person for that bar. 763 00:39:18,967 --> 00:39:22,033 And I have no doubt that she trusted him, 764 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:23,934 even just by his job. 765 00:39:26,867 --> 00:39:29,033 [Nancy] In October of 2003, 766 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:33,133 almost two years after Barbara Eyapaise went missing, 767 00:39:33,300 --> 00:39:35,800 her accused killer, Fred Abma 768 00:39:35,967 --> 00:39:38,934 stood trial in front of a judge alone. 769 00:39:39,100 --> 00:39:43,400 So the theory of the crown and of the investigator is that 770 00:39:43,567 --> 00:39:46,066 Abma had plenty of time 771 00:39:46,233 --> 00:39:48,100 to plan out what he was going to do, 772 00:39:48,266 --> 00:39:50,467 that it was about a 30 minute drive, 773 00:39:50,633 --> 00:39:53,166 and during that time that he had planned out 774 00:39:53,333 --> 00:39:55,100 that he was actually going to kill Barbara 775 00:39:55,266 --> 00:39:56,667 and dispose of her. 776 00:39:56,834 --> 00:40:00,200 And so he was ultimately charged of, 777 00:40:00,367 --> 00:40:01,734 for first degree murder. 778 00:40:01,900 --> 00:40:07,033 The key evidence in this case was the Mr. Big confessions. 779 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:09,800 And I say plural confessions 780 00:40:09,967 --> 00:40:12,500 because he had told to friends that he'd made, 781 00:40:12,667 --> 00:40:16,967 and then he told Mr. Big the same story, and that-- 782 00:40:17,133 --> 00:40:19,633 that was the key evidence against him. 783 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:21,900 His testimony... 784 00:40:22,066 --> 00:40:24,200 was that he had dropped her off at her house, 785 00:40:24,367 --> 00:40:25,867 as he'd said, 786 00:40:26,033 --> 00:40:28,967 and that there was somebody in a car that had followed them 787 00:40:29,133 --> 00:40:32,734 from the bar and the last he saw of her was there. 788 00:40:32,900 --> 00:40:35,700 And then later, he hears that she's missing. He-- 789 00:40:36,500 --> 00:40:37,934 And the police want to question him. 790 00:40:38,100 --> 00:40:40,033 He hits the panic button and says, 791 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:41,934 "I made a false alibi up 792 00:40:42,100 --> 00:40:44,967 because I was the last one who was with her." 793 00:40:46,333 --> 00:40:48,400 [Nancy] After six weeks of evidence, 794 00:40:48,567 --> 00:40:52,300 Fred Abma was convicted of first degree murder. 795 00:40:52,467 --> 00:40:55,567 The judge looked at all of the evidence, including... 796 00:40:55,734 --> 00:40:57,800 the confessions by Mr. Abma 797 00:40:57,967 --> 00:40:59,934 to the undercover police officers and said, 798 00:41:00,166 --> 00:41:02,033 "I have no reason to doubt these." 799 00:41:02,900 --> 00:41:04,900 It makes sense that the body could have been dumped 800 00:41:05,066 --> 00:41:08,900 where Mr. Abma said and that it was flowed downstream 801 00:41:09,066 --> 00:41:10,433 because the river ice was melting, 802 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,233 the river was flowing. 803 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:14,367 The truck driver who saw 804 00:41:14,533 --> 00:41:18,400 this pair of naked legs hanging out the vehicle... 805 00:41:18,567 --> 00:41:20,934 with the distinctive left taillight out 806 00:41:21,100 --> 00:41:22,600 and the same type of vehicle. 807 00:41:22,767 --> 00:41:24,266 All of that added up, 808 00:41:24,433 --> 00:41:25,767 all of these little pieces. 809 00:41:25,934 --> 00:41:28,767 The fact that Mr. Abma had gone for gasoline 810 00:41:28,934 --> 00:41:32,800 and even given his name to the gas attendant very near 811 00:41:32,967 --> 00:41:35,467 where he says the body was put into the river. 812 00:41:35,633 --> 00:41:39,000 All of that circumstantially became overwhelming. 813 00:41:39,166 --> 00:41:41,066 Judge found that it was planned and deliberate 814 00:41:41,233 --> 00:41:43,300 that he had planned to kill her 815 00:41:44,734 --> 00:41:46,567 while basically while he was driving, 816 00:41:46,734 --> 00:41:50,266 which meant an automatic life sentence 817 00:41:50,433 --> 00:41:54,967 with parole ineligibility of 25 years. 818 00:41:56,133 --> 00:42:00,400 [Nancy] Barbara's parents left court feeling some relief. 819 00:42:00,567 --> 00:42:02,667 She was the apple of our eye, I'm telling you. 820 00:42:02,834 --> 00:42:04,066 She was my only daughter. 821 00:42:05,533 --> 00:42:07,967 At least we get some kind of closure on this now. 822 00:42:08,133 --> 00:42:10,567 We can't let this destroy us. 823 00:42:10,734 --> 00:42:12,300 We can't. 824 00:42:12,467 --> 00:42:15,033 [Nancy] But in the end, that's exactly 825 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,233 what Fred Abma did to Barbara's family. 826 00:42:19,633 --> 00:42:22,834 Nellie Eyapaise passed away in 2010. 827 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:25,200 [Kevin] She wasn't the same, she just lost... 828 00:42:26,533 --> 00:42:29,233 all the will for anything after that. 829 00:42:32,333 --> 00:42:34,166 [Bob] He destroyed our family. 830 00:42:36,333 --> 00:42:39,000 That's pretty nerve wracking, even telling you guys this. 831 00:42:39,166 --> 00:42:42,467 [Nancy] Other than in the Mr. Big sting operation, 832 00:42:42,633 --> 00:42:47,233 Fred Abma has never admitted to killing Barbara Eyapaise 833 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,200 and never expressed remorse. 834 00:42:50,367 --> 00:42:53,066 [Bob] Yeah, everybody knows except him. 835 00:42:53,233 --> 00:42:54,967 I don't know why. 836 00:42:55,133 --> 00:42:56,300 You know. 837 00:42:56,467 --> 00:42:59,000 If he said he was sorry... 838 00:43:00,467 --> 00:43:03,600 you know, had a little remorse, 839 00:43:03,767 --> 00:43:05,767 actually I probably wouldn't say, well... 840 00:43:07,333 --> 00:43:09,533 give the guy another chance. 841 00:43:09,700 --> 00:43:13,800 But I hear he has no remorse. 842 00:43:13,967 --> 00:43:15,000 Jesus. 843 00:43:16,166 --> 00:43:18,533 That sickens me in a roundabout way. 844 00:43:18,700 --> 00:43:20,567 I'm scared for other people. 845 00:43:20,734 --> 00:43:22,900 I'm scared if he ever gets out... 846 00:43:24,133 --> 00:43:26,033 that it could happen again. 847 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:28,633 That's what I worry about. 848 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:30,934 I don't want him to [indistinct] another girl, 849 00:43:31,100 --> 00:43:32,467 another family. 850 00:43:32,633 --> 00:43:36,934 ♪ 851 00:43:40,433 --> 00:43:43,033 [Nancy] As Barbara's father battles cancer, 852 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:48,033 he can't help but feel robbed of time and precious memories 853 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,300 he could have had with his daughter. 854 00:43:51,166 --> 00:43:53,033 I just love her smile. 855 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:54,467 Yeah. [chuckles] 856 00:43:55,867 --> 00:43:57,333 I do miss my girl. 857 00:43:58,567 --> 00:44:00,166 Everybody missed her. 858 00:44:01,100 --> 00:44:04,033 That word, closure, there's no such thing as closure. 859 00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:06,266 I wish there was, but there's not. 860 00:44:08,734 --> 00:44:10,900 Sometimes, I just... 861 00:44:11,066 --> 00:44:13,633 hear a tune that I know Barbara would like, 862 00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:15,800 tear might come to my eyes. 863 00:44:16,533 --> 00:44:18,667 You know, she was a great daughter. 864 00:44:22,967 --> 00:44:25,000 [Antony] Fred Abma remains in prison 865 00:44:25,166 --> 00:44:28,900 and runs several online pages proclaiming his innocence. 866 00:44:29,066 --> 00:44:30,400 In 2020, he requested 867 00:44:30,567 --> 00:44:33,033 a ministerial review of his case. 868 00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:36,400 However, officials determined there was no reasonable basis 869 00:44:36,567 --> 00:44:39,767 to conclude a miscarriage of justice occurred. 870 00:44:39,934 --> 00:44:41,433 As of the release of this episode, 871 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:45,200 he has been denied day and full parole. 872 00:44:45,367 --> 00:44:48,633 After her death, a donation was made in Barbara's name, 873 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:50,266 contributing to a scholarship fund 874 00:44:50,433 --> 00:44:51,867 at Bow Valley College, 875 00:44:52,033 --> 00:44:53,867 awarded to students enrolled 876 00:44:54,033 --> 00:44:56,000 in the Practical Nursing Program. 877 00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:01,066 Thank you for joining us tonight on Crime Beat. 878 00:45:01,233 --> 00:45:02,700 I'm Antony Robart. 879 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:06,033 Want more episodes of Crime Beat? 880 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:09,000 Listen to the Crime Beat podcast now for free 881 00:45:09,166 --> 00:45:12,600 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find 882 00:45:12,767 --> 00:45:14,066 your favourite podcast. 883 00:45:14,233 --> 00:45:16,433 And for past episodes of Crime Beat, 884 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:20,433 go to the Global TV app, visit globaltv.com 885 00:45:20,600 --> 00:45:23,800 or check out our Crime Beat YouTube page.