Behind the fear: unsolved killings shake Dawson Creek, B.C.

A year after the RCMP promised “success” in solving a string of killings in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, there are still no arrests in any of the 11 homicide cases under investigation. The small northern town remains haunted by fear, violence, and mistrust. In a place once known for its farming roots, crime and addiction have taken hold. Longtime resident Arron Linklater, a self-admitted cocaine dealer, describes life in Dawson Creek as a constant battle for survival—his bulletproof vest as essential as his wallet. Once a quiet community, it has become a hub for the oil-and-gas industry, a boom that brought wealth but also drugs, gangs, and bloodshed.

The RCMP’s pledge to make progress has faded amid frustration from residents and victims’ families. Since January 2023, 11 people have been murdered in the town of just 12,500 residents—and the killers remain free. The fifth estate investigation conducted by the media reveals a grim portrait of a community overwhelmed by violence and distrust, where people live with the constant reminder that justice has yet to arrive.