In the autumn of 1983, a sense of quiet routine permeated the small community of Desmarais, Alberta, a place where lives were interwoven and familiar faces were a comfort. It was from this familiar backdrop that 64-year-old Patrick Gregoire Auger departed on October 28, 1983. His intention was to travel to Slave Lake, a not uncommon journey in that part of the province. For a few days, his travels seemed to be proceeding as planned.
He was a man of slender build, and friends and family were familiar with his physical appearance, including old injuries that left his right fourth toe deformed and his large toe twisted from previous fractures.
Four days after leaving his home, on November 1, 1983, Patrick was seen for what is believed to be the last time. He was observed at the Greyhound bus depot in Slave Lake, a hub of transit for many traveling through the region. He was seen boarding a bus that was headed for Peace River, Alberta. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a tan parka, a tan hat, green pants, and black rubbers over tan moccasins, clothing suitable for the late autumn weather of northern Alberta. His journey from Slave Lake should have been a straightforward trip, but somewhere along the way, his path took a turn into the unknown. He never arrived at his destination, and from that day forward, no one has reported seeing or hearing from him again.
The silence that followed Patrick Auger's last known sighting has stretched across decades, leaving a void for those who knew him. He was an Indigenous man with graying black hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'7' and weighing around 130 pounds. His disappearance launched an investigation by the Slave Lake RCMP, but the trail grew cold. The essential facts remain stark and unchanging: he left his home, traveled to a nearby town, boarded a bus, and then vanished. The case remains a quiet and troubling mystery in Alberta's history, a story of a man who embarked on a routine journey and disappeared, leaving behind only questions and the enduring hope for answers.Last Seen: Oct 28, 1983
