Amber Manthorne dies in fatal Port Alberni disappearance
Amber Manthorne dies in fatal Port Alberni disappearance
Fatal Port Alberni disappearance death of Amber Manthorne – Obituary
Authorities have announced that Amber Manthorne, a 40-year-old woman who vanished from her Vancouver Island community in July 2022, is likely a victim of foul play, possibly involving her now-deceased former boyfriend. Manthorne was reported missing on July 7, 2022, and her white 2021 Jeep Compass was discovered two days later in a wooded area along a logging road south of Nanaimo.
On Wednesday, the Port Alberni RCMP released surveillance footage showing Manthorne’s ex-boyfriend, Justin Hall, driving her Jeep to a Husky gas station in Port Alberni at approximately 4:50 a.m. on July 8. In the video, Hall is seen attempting to move a large suitcase from the back seat to the hatchback but struggles due to a large black plastic tote obstructing his efforts. Eventually, he returned the suitcase to the rear seats.
Both the suitcase and the plastic tote have never been recovered. “Police believe that Amber’s disappearance was a result of foul play and that she is not likely to be found alive,” said RCMP spokesperson Const. Beth O’Connor.
Following Manthorne’s disappearance, Hall was interviewed by police and identified as a person of interest. However, he was found dead in Merritt last year, complicating the investigation. According to a timeline released by investigators, Hall made a purchase at a Nanaimo Walmart at 9:22 a.m. on July 8, roughly four and a half hours after he was seen at the gas station. Shortly thereafter, he purchased a ferry ticket to the mainland using Manthorne’s Jeep but left the lineup and terminal shortly before 11 a.m.
Manthorne’s abandoned vehicle was located the following afternoon. In the months following her disappearance, hundreds of friends, volunteers, and police participated in extensive searches around her home near Great Central Lake and where her vehicle was found.
Kristie St. Claire, a friend and organizer of the Finding Amber Manthorne Facebook group, expressed gratitude for the new details released and hopes that someone will come forward with information to aid the investigation. “There’s no such thing as closure for these kinds of things. We’re hoping for some peace, and we would like to recover her remains to give her a decent burial and a place for her family to find closure,” St. Claire stated.
Amber Manthorne dies in fatal Port Alberni disappearance Fatal Port Alberni disappearance death of Amber Manthorne – Obituary Authorities have announced that Amber Manthorne, a 40-year-old woman who vanished from her Vancouver Island community in July 2022, is likely a victim of foul play, possibly involving her now-deceased former boyfriend. Manthorne was reported missing on…
Amber Manthorne dies in fatal Port Alberni disappearance Fatal Port Alberni disappearance death of Amber Manthorne – Obituary Authorities have announced that Amber Manthorne, a 40-year-old woman who vanished from her Vancouver Island community in July 2022, is likely a victim of foul play, possibly involving her now-deceased former boyfriend. Manthorne was reported missing on…