Jody Leon is leaving no stone unturned in her mission to bring the local murdered and missing women home.
On Saturday, June 21, Leon renewed efforts to find Caitlin Potts and Deanna Wertz, both of whom went missing in 2016, with a grid search of a four-hectare area on Mount Ida in Silver Creek. The area is near the Sagmoen farm where repeat offender Curtis Sagmoen lived, and where the remains of Vernon teen Traci Genereaux were found in 2017.
The remains of Nicole Bell, a Shuswap mother who went missing in 2017, were recently found in close proximity to the Sagmoen farm and the site of Saturday's search. Sagmoen was found dead in a Vernon hotel room on April 10. Police have said the primary suspect in the deaths of Genereaux and Bell are the same person, and Bell's mother previously told Black Press Media that that suspect was Sagmoen.
A group of around 30 people gathered at the Splatsin Community Centre, creating a sea of red in T-shirts for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People stating "Resistance for our Sisters," and "Bring our Sisters Home."
鈥淢y heart is happy. It鈥檚 really nice to know on a search day... that you guys all care enough to come out. I really, really appreciate that,鈥� Leon said in opening before saying a prayer. 鈥淲e ask that you give us the vision needed. We ask, Creator, that you help us... give us the special guidance today, give us the eyes and the ears and the ability to see what it is that these women may be calling us to.鈥�
Searchers included members of Splatsin, Neskonlith, Adams Lake Indian Band and teachers from School District 83, as well as other supporters. In her introduction, Leon also stressed the need for confidentiality and having nothing posted on social media or livestreams, stating "we're not here for that, this is not a social media event."
Prior to the group heading out, Adams Lake Indian Band Coun. Joyce Kenoras added some comments on behalf of the Kukpi7 (Chief) and community.
鈥淭he hard thing about this is this all took place within our territory, so we do have a responsibility and oversight to what鈥檚 happening today," she said. "We have a word called tm铆cw. Tm铆cw is our land, and we would ask the tm铆cw to release these beautiful sisters so that we can have closure for the families... that we will be able to get what we need out of this because it鈥檚 been far too long.鈥�
