Richard Dale Beaudoin Missing Person Case

In the winter of 1991, a 38-year-old man named Richard Dale Beaudoin embarked on a journey by canoe from Vancouver to Powell River, British Columbia. An experienced outdoorsman, Richard was navigating the coastal waters in a distinctive 14-foot, red or orange fiberglass freight canoe with wooden seats and a square stern. His trip progressed as far as Pender Harbour, a community on the Sunshine Coast. It was from a payphone in this small harbour town on December 29, 1991, that Richard made his last known contact with his family. After that phone call, all communication ceased, and Richard was never heard from again, leaving his loved ones with unanswered questions that would span decades.

Following Richard's disappearance, efforts were made to locate him. Missing person posters were circulated in the coastal communities of Sechelt, Pender Harbour, Egmont, and Powell River throughout 1992 and 1993. These posters provided a description of Richard: standing between 6'1' and 6'3' with a slim build, he had reddish-brown curly hair, blue eyes, and a noticeably damaged left eye tooth. There was a potential glimmer of hope with a possible sighting of him in Egmont, another small community along his intended route, but this lead did not develop further. Richard was also known for being deeply religious and would often preach to people he met during his travels, a personal detail that painted a picture of the man who had vanished.

The passage of time has not closed the book on the disappearance of Richard Dale Beaudoin. Decades later, the Sunshine Coast RCMP renewed their appeal to the public for any new information that might shed light on what happened to him after he made that final phone call from Pender Harbour. The case remains an open and active investigation, a long-standing mystery on the coast of British Columbia. The details of Richard's intended canoe trip, his last confirmed location, and the subsequent lack of any definitive evidence have left a void for his family and the investigators who continue to seek answers. The overview of the case is one of a man on a solo journey who made a routine call to family before vanishing, with the subsequent investigation relying on public memory and the hope that someone, somewhere, holds a piece of information that could finally explain what became of Richard Dale Beaudoin.
Last Seen: Dec 29, 1991

Canada's Missing - RCMP case 2014004454