Search for Natasha Montgomery’s body set for Wednesday

BY BILL PHILLIPS

Natasha Montgomery’s body has never been found.

It’s been just over seven years since 23-year-old Montgomery disappeared. She likely died around August 31 or September 1, 2010.

It’s been three years since Cody Legebokoff was found guilty of her murder, and the murders of Jill Stuchenko, Cynthia Maas, and Loren Donn Leslie. Shorts worn by Legebokoff when he met with Leslie on November 27, 2010 had areas of DNA matching Montgomery’s genetic profile. An axe found in a hallway closet at Legebokoff’s Liard Drive apartment yielded 14 matches to Montgomery, along with other bloodstains found on curtains, comforter in Legebokoff’s bedroom, cuttings from a carpet, box spring mattress and linoleum floor – all matches to Montgomery’s genetic profile.

Montgomery’s family has never given up hope of finding her remains.

Natasha Montgomery's family held a smudge ceremony in 2012 at the house where they believe she was murdered. — Natasha Montgomery’s family held a smudge ceremony in 2012 at the house where they believe she was murdered.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 20, with the help of several local Indigenous communities, a search for Montgomery’s body will be held near the Bowron River rest stop along Highway 16 about 60 kilometres east of Prince George.

A ceremony will be held at 8 a.m., which will be followed by a press conference at 9 a.m. Speakers will include Montgomery’s mother Louanne Montgomery, Chief Wayne Christian of the Splat’sin First Nation, and Grand Chief Doug Kelly of the First Nations Health Council.

Search plans will then be discussed with the search getting underway at 10 a.m. Esketemc Chief Charlene Belleau says plenty of women have signed up for the search and is hoping more men will attend.

A search debrief and feast will be held at the rest stop at 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Esketemc Chief Charlene Belleau at 250-440-5611. Everyone is welcome to join the search.