In the spring of 2018, the life of a family in British Columbia was forever changed with the disappearance of 16-year-old Colten Therrin Fleury. A member of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, Colten was last seen in Prince George on May 3, 2018. At the time, he stood 5'8' tall and weighed around 120 pounds, with brown eyes and short brown hair. He had recently moved out of a group home to live with his mother, Phyllis Fleury, at a downtown motel.
The day before he vanished, he had been reunited with his mother, but his happiness was short-lived. Upset after learning about a delay in family allowance, and fearing he might have to return to a group home, Colten left the motel early the next morning. He was last seen wearing a red hoodie and black jeans.
The initial days following Colten's disappearance were filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty. There were several unconfirmed sightings of him in and around Prince George, with some reports suggesting he was seen at Rainbow Park and another claiming he may have taken a cab. Another possible sighting placed him on Highway 16 in Moricetown, his mother's home community, allegedly hitchhiking towards Prince Rupert with a young woman. Driven by a mother's relentless love, Phyllis Fleury has tirelessly searched for her son. Her quest for answers has led her on numerous trips to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, where she has distributed flyers and spoken to countless individuals, following up on any tip, no matter how small. Despite these exhaustive efforts, no concrete leads have emerged, and the initial sightings have not been substantiated by investigators.
The investigation into Colten's disappearance has remained active, though it has been described by law enforcement as a mystery with very few shreds of evidence. The Prince George RCMP have invested significant resources into the search, conducting hundreds of checks and following up on potential leads throughout British Columbia and even in other provinces. Investigators have noted that Colten's primary method of communication was through Facebook Messenger and have urged anyone who may have been in contact with him around the time he went missing to come forward. While there has been no credible information to suggest he ever left the Prince George area or that foul play was involved, the lack of answers has left his family in a state of prolonged anguish. The case of Colten Fleury is a heart-wrenching story of a missing Indigenous youth, highlighting a family's enduring hope and an ongoing search for answers in a case that has tragically grown cold.Last Seen: May 3, 2018
