Police tightlipped as search for evidence at two B.C. properties ends

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Police have wrapped up their search of two properties west of Prince George where they had been looking for evidence related to the 2002 disappearance of tree-planter Nicole Hoar.

The RCMP’s provincial unsolved homicide unit finished its search of 31645 Pinewood Road in the community of Isle Pierre on Sunday afternoon.

The property was owned by convicted murderer Leland Vincent Switzer at the time of Hoar’s disappearance. Switzer is currently in jail.

Police have said the property’s current owners are not of interest to police. They stayed in a hotel during the search, but have now returned home, Cpl. Annie Linteau said.

The investigation is related to the disappearance of the 25-year-old Hoar, last seen hitchhiking along Highway 16 on June 21, 2002.

Police have also completed their search of a second piece of land in Isle Pierre, used by residents as an unauthorized dumping ground.

Police remained tight-lipped about what their search may have turned up.

“A lot of what has been learned, we’re not going to be able to discuss,” said Linteau. “We will not be discussing, for the time being, any items we may or may not have recovered on the property … to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

Ray Michalko is a private investigator who has been working on the case part-time since January 2006.

“Whether [Switzer] did it or not, I don’t think he would be dumb enough to put remains on his little five acres and then sell it — especially when you can walk across the street and be in the bush in 50 feet,” Michalko said.

The RCMP had brought in two dogs from Alberta trained in the detection of human remains.

Linteau said the publicity around the search helped generate roughly 100 tips since Thursday. “We’re extremely pleased with some of the information we have received. We will be following up on those tips.”

One tip prompted police to ask for the public’s assistance in locating someone they believe may have information about Hoar’s whereabouts in June 2002.

He is described as a Caucasian male who smokes. In 2002, he was in his mid fifties, had black shoulder-length hair, a scruffy, skinny face, sunken eyes, thin glasses and a scar.

Highway 16 has been dubbed the “Highway of Tears” because at least nine women disappeared on the road from 1990 to 2006. The number of missing or murdered women was later raised to 18 when authorities expanded the geographical scope of their investigation.

dkarp@vancouversun.com