This is a case that has inexplicably flown under the radar for years. An Indigenous woman with a promising future vanishes in the dead of night after getting into a car with a man she had met just hours earlier. She was never seen again. What makes this case even more perplexing is that law enforcement knows the identity of the man in question, yet 16 years later, we are no closer to answers.
It was June 30, 2002, when 21-year-old Lisa Marie Young prepared for a night out in Nanaimo, British Columbia, a city nestled along the eastern shores of Vancouver Island. It was the Canada Day long weekend, a time when the nation celebrates the union of three separate colonies—Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada—into a single Dominion within the British Empire. Much like the Fourth of July in the United States, this weekend is marked by parties, barbecues, and concerts, making it one of the busiest times of the year for bars, restaurants, and other venues.
Lisa was well-known in Nanaimo as a social butterfly, always surrounded by an extended circle of friends she held dear. Walking through the city with her meant inevitable stops for friendly chats with acquaintances. Having worked as a bartender, Lisa knew the ins and outs of the local scene, a familiarity born from years of serving and encountering all types of people in the food and beverage industry.
At that time, Lisa was at a pivotal moment in her life. Determined to leave behind the monotony of the service industry, she had secured a new job at a call centre, set to begin the following week. The next morning, her father, Don, was eager to help her move into a new apartment. Lisa had plans to donate some of her furniture and household items to her younger brother, Bryan.
Lisa also prioritized her youngest brother, Robin, who had disabilities. She was determined to save enough money to help care for him, easing the burden on their parents. Her bond with her family was strong—she considered her father her best friend and credited her mother, Joanne, with instilling in her a sense of strength and honesty.
Lisa Marie Young Goes for a Night Out. And Disappears
At 11:00 p.m. on June 30, 2002, Lisa Marie Young kissed her father goodbye as she set out for a night on the town during the Canada Day Weekend festivities. Her father, who was scheduled to help her move into a new apartment the next morning, remarked, “It’s a bit late, isn’t it?” But for Lisa, a former bartender, the night had just begun. She was looking forward to celebrating her friend Dallas Hulley’s 21st birthday.
Around midnight, Lisa arrived at the now-closed Jungle Club, a familiar spot where she had worked years earlier. The club, currently known as Evolve Nightclub on Skinner Street, was one of her old haunts. She reunited with several friends, and the group continued their night of celebration for Dallas’ birthday and the Canada Day festivities. While some friends left the Jungle Club around 2:00 a.m., Lisa stayed behind with Dallas and another male companion.
After the bar closed between 2:15 and 2:30 a.m., the trio stepped outside to discuss their next move. At that time, it was common for young adults in Nanaimo to seek out house parties once the bars closed. During their conversation, a young man driving an older model red Jaguar approached them. His car became a topic of interest, and soon the group struck up a friendly conversation with him. The man offered to give them a ride to a nearby house party, which the group accepted. It’s unclear whether Lisa or the new acquaintance chose the destination, but it seems likely that Lisa had a specific party in mind and was seeking a ride, according to those close to her.
Reports suggest the group stayed at the first house party for about an hour, though this timeline remains in question. They soon moved on to a second house party. Again, it’s unclear who chose this destination, but Lisa was likely texting or calling friends to figure out her next move. It’s worth noting that in 2002, cell phones were common but not ubiquitous; this was the year models like the Nokia 3510 and 7650 were released.
By 3:00-3:30 a.m., Lisa and the group arrived at the second house party in the Westwood Lake area of Nanaimo, roughly a 12-minute drive west from the Jungle Club. At this point, Lisa grew hungry, but as a vegetarian, she found no suitable food options at the party. The young man overheard her dilemma and offered to drive her to a nearby sandwich shop. Lisa accepted, and they left in the red Jaguar sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. However, discrepancies in the timeline suggest they might have arrived at the second house party later than reported.
Dallas was the one who last texted Lisa Marie Young
At 4:30 a.m., Lisa texted her friend Dallas Hulley, writing, “Come get me, they won’t let me leave.” It’s unclear whether Dallas, who tragically passed away in 2018 after being struck by a vehicle, saw the message. Rumors suggest he received it but was still at the house party without access to a car or an address. According to these unconfirmed accounts, Lisa told Dallas that the man had not taken her to get food but brought her to another house party on Bowen Road, where she felt uncomfortable. Some reports indicate she may have been locked in the car, though law enforcement keeps these details unverified. Bowen Road is located about seven minutes northwest of the Westwood Lake area.
This was the last time anyone heard from Lisa Marie Young.
When Lisa Marie Young failed to show up on the morning of July 1 to begin moving into her new apartment, her family’s concern quickly escalated into fear. Close friends took to the streets, frantically searching for any sign of Lisa, while her parents, Don and Joanne Young, realized something was terribly wrong. Determined to find answers, they went to Lisa’s apartment and found her phonebook. Desperately, they called every number listed, hoping someone could tell them where their daughter had gone. But no one had answers.
With growing alarm, the Youngs contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). To their frustration, the initial response from law enforcement was dismissive. The RCMP informed the family that they would have to wait 48 hours before filing a missing person’s report. Although an officer did visit that evening to gather some information and obtain a photo of Lisa, he casually mentioned that he would be off duty for the next four days, delaying any real investigation until Friday. It was Sunday. This lack of urgency did nothing to ease the family’s fears.
Refusing to sit idly by, the Youngs took matters into their own hands. They reached out to local media, determined to bring attention to their daughter’s disappearance. Unlike the RCMP, the media responded with interest, and Lisa’s case began to gain public awareness.
Contrary to what was later reported in a Crimestoppers video, which suggested Lisa was reported missing “several days later,” her family had reported her disappearance immediately. However, it appears that the investigation either didn’t begin in earnest or wasn’t taken seriously until 24 to 72 hours later—a critical delay in any missing person case.
Law enforcement eventually identified the man who was driving the red Jaguar that night, but it took them 30 days to question him. When they finally seized the vehicle for forensic testing, the car had already been thoroughly steam-cleaned. The results of the forensic examination have never been made public, and shortly afterward, the vehicle was returned to its owner. Before that, however, an unsettling encounter occurred between Lisa’s mother, Joanne, and the man who was last seen with her daughter.
Christopher William Adair and Lisa Marie Young
Christopher William Adair was 27 years old when Lisa Marie Young disappeared. Although law enforcement questioned him 30 days after her disappearance, little is known about the interrogation. One poignant detail has emerged: during this brief encounter, Lisa’s mother, Joanne, had the chance to speak to Adair. When she asked him where her daughter was, Adair responded, “I can’t. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to disrespect your family…” before trailing off. To this day, the Young family firmly believes that Adair knows more about Lisa’s fate than he’s willing to reveal.
There’s also an unsettling rumor, though unverified, that during the interrogation, Joanne saw a picture of Lisa on the wall alongside three words scrawled on a whiteboard: “Murder, Rape, Accident.”
Another curious detail emerged from a Crimestoppers video. At the end of the video, viewers were urged to contact authorities if they had seen the red Jaguar between 3:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. the following day. If the police knew Adair and had already questioned him, why were they seeking additional information about the car’s whereabouts? Was someone else involved, perhaps driving the car after Lisa’s disappearance?
Lisa was last seen in a Jaguar xj40, much like the one in the picture
The key questions remain: What happened after Lisa got into Adair’s car? Where did he take her? And why don’t we know more?
While many of these questions remain unanswered, we do know more about Adair himself. According to publicly available records on the British Columbia Justice Court Services Online portal, Adair had a criminal record even before Lisa’s disappearance, with charges including unauthorized use of credit card data, theft, fraud, and assault—all in 2001. His criminal activity didn’t stop after Lisa vanished; two months later, in 2002, he was charged with breaching a conditional sentence order and assaulting a peace officer. Additionally, two documents related to him are restricted from public access.
It’s important to note that while these charges don’t necessarily implicate Adair in Lisa’s disappearance, they do provide insight into his history. Given that law enforcement named him as a person of interest, these details are part of the broader context of the case.
An additional layer of intrigue surrounds the ownership of the red Jaguar. Adair didn’t own the vehicle—it belonged to his grandmother, Geraldine Lorna Adair, a successful realtor and a prominent figure in Qualicum Beach, just 35 minutes from Nanaimo. Shortly after Lisa’s disappearance, Geraldine sold the Jaguar and threatened legal action against anyone who spoke ill of her grandson in connection with the case. Geraldine passed away in 2011, but even in her absence, Adair seems intent on distancing himself from the mystery of Lisa Marie Young’s disappearance.
On July 23, 2016, the popular true-crime podcast Casefile aired an episode detailing Lisa Marie Young’s disappearance. Five months later, the host released a five-minute update, which I also encourage you to listen to Below is a summary of that update.
The Casefile host received an email from SoundCloud notifying them that a complaint had been filed against Episode 26, Lisa’s case. As a result of this complaint, the episode had been removed. Initially, the host assumed the issue was due to the use of a full music piece in the episode. However, they later discovered similar complaints had been filed with iTunes and other hosting directories. Since these platforms only provide RSS feeds while the actual files are hosted elsewhere, the complaint was forwarded directly to Casefile.
The person who filed the complaint claimed the podcast illegally used his name and discussed charges that were not public information. The timestamps cited in the complaint corresponded to the portions of the episode where Christopher Adair was mentioned. The complaint was signed simply as “Chris.”
You can likely see why I’m being cautious with my words and making sure to reference public sources. Canada’s criminal charges are public, as discussed earlier, but why is Adair so concerned about his connection to this case? Was it really Christopher Adair who filed the complaint against Casefile?
And what truly happened after Lisa got into that car? Was Adair partially responsible for her disappearance? Or did he lose control of a dangerous situation, unable to protect her from whatever fate she encountered? If the latter is true, it could explain why Crimestoppers is still seeking tips about sightings of the red Jaguar and why Adair gave such a vague response to Joanne Young.
People in Nanaimo often speak as if they know what happened to Lisa, but no one seems willing to discuss it openly. Even former Nanaimo Mayor Gary Korpan acknowledges this unspoken knowledge, stating, “They still talk about it. A lot assume they know who did it.”
Lisa Marie Young, Hells Angels, and The Mafia
Before diving into the theories and rumors surrounding Lisa Marie Young’s disappearance, it’s essential to address two critical factors: Canada’s troubling history with its Indigenous communities and the city of Nanaimo’s connection to drug-related crime.
Indigenous peoples in Canada, often referred to as Aboriginal Canadians, include members of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. These groups represent approximately 4.8% of Canada’s population, with a slightly higher concentration on Vancouver Island, where the percentage ranges between 5-10%. Lisa Marie Young was a proud member of the First Nations.
Indigenous Canadians have historically faced—and continue to face—significant racial hardships and systemic inequality compared to the non-Indigenous population. A recent study highlights these disparities: Aboriginal Canadians experience an unemployment rate that is 2.1 times higher than the national average, an incarceration rate that is 10 times higher, and a high school dropout rate 2.7 times greater than the rest of the country. Unfortunately, these statistics also reflect the disparities in how Indigenous cases are treated when individuals go missing. In communities like Nanaimo, there’s a harsh reality that when an Aboriginal Canadian goes missing, the investigation may receive less attention than it deserves. This systemic neglect could very well explain the lackluster handling of Lisa’s case over 16 years ago.
Understanding these broader contexts is crucial in assessing why Lisa’s case may not have garnered the urgency and attention it warranted. As we explore further, these issues will form the backdrop of a case that has left many unanswered questions and an enduring sense of injustice.
But what makes Nanaimo a dangerous place to live? For those passing through, the city might seem like a picturesque West Coast community, offering stunning natural beauty and countless recreational opportunities. On the surface, this perception holds true. Yet beneath this tranquil exterior, Nanaimo conceals a darker side—a hidden underbelly plagued by drug-related crime rates that are alarmingly higher than the national average. In fact, according to a 2017 report by Maclean’s Magazine, Nanaimo ranked as the third most dangerous city on Vancouver Island. Crime in Nanaimo has steadily risen over the past few years, with calls to the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) increasing by 16% since 2015. Additionally, a 2016 article revealed that between 2009 and 2014, 396 people fell victim to human sex trafficking, a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to this global issue.
Nanaimo’s dark history with drug trafficking and criminal organizations runs deep. Infamous groups such as the Red Scorpions and the Hells Angels have long been entrenched in the city’s criminal landscape. The Hells Angels, in particular, have been embroiled in a decade-long legal battle with the RCMP over their former clubhouse. Locals who lived in Nanaimo at the time of Lisa Marie Young’s disappearance recall that the city was effectively “run by the Hells Angels” and another notorious group, the Chinese Triad.
When you dig a little deeper, rumors and dark secrets about Nanaimo and Lisa’s case begin to surface. It’s here where most of the mainstream coverage of Lisa’s disappearance fades, giving way to horror stories and unsettling speculation. This is where we encounter our first glimpse of Nanaimo’s darker name: “The City Without Pity.”
A post surfaced on November 12, 2007, by a user named “devilhisself,” titled “The City Without Pity – Illuminati.” The full post can be viewed [here]. The user claims that Nanaimo is referred to as “The City Without Pity” due to its connections with cults, crime, and rampant drug issues. While I haven’t found any official sources corroborating this moniker, those close to Lisa Marie Young have reportedly heard Nanaimo called that. The post goes on to make alarming claims about cult activity in the area, with the user expressing fear for their own life. Notably, they also claim to know what happened to Lisa and where she was taken.
The post states:
“Rumor has it that she was taken to ________’s house. Everyone knows WHO. I’m sure there is also proof. But authorities there are also ‘brothers.’ Supposedly, she was taken there and given the date rape drug. The boys were gonna have a little fun with her; shoot a porno. She was given too much of the drug and died. This is speculative, as a body was never located. But the citizens of Nanaimo talk as if they KNOW.”
The user continues, alleging they’ve been targeted by strange events related to cults in Nanaimo. They claim that a woman poisoned their family and link this event to Lisa’s disappearance:
“By the way, the story about the girl is NO rumor. If you wanted to let me finish… The girl really did disappear. TWO of the people who were there brag about it. One of them has been dubbed ‘the clean-up girl’ for her participation. She is the one who poisoned us. She pretended her daughter was ill. My oldest daughter witnessed her beat the snot out of her until she puked. Go to the cops? No way, would I put my own daughter through that. Nothing would change anyhow. GUARANTEE it.”
These are chilling allegations, blending conspiracy with small-town whispers, yet they reflect the disturbing undercurrents that continue to surround Lisa’s case. The post highlights the fear and paranoia that many believe permeates Nanaimo’s underworld—a place where crime, corruption, and secrets intersect in dangerous ways.
If you’ve been following Lisa Marie Young’s case, you’ve likely come across articles from *The True Crime Files* and Allison Crowe’s website, both of which reference the so-called “clean-up girl.” These articles are the origin of many of the rumors that have since circulated about Lisa’s disappearance.
The posts by the user “devilhisself” read like a paranoid rant, filled with wild and unverifiable claims. The user made outlandish assertions, such as living atop an Indigenous burial ground near Witchcraft Lake, an active Freemason cult, and the bizarre claim that Hells Angels President “Zeek” was beheaded by a cult. They also referenced the death of a man named Dan Barrigan, who allegedly warned the user to “be careful… there is something going on” before being murdered two days later. As expected, other users pressed “devilhisself” for more details but received none, leading to a flurry of defensive responses. The last of these posts appeared just one day later, on November 13, 2007.
After some “subreddit-style drama” and minor armchair detective work by a user named “DINSTAAR,” the thread went quiet. It remained dormant until 2010 when a user named “CarlKolchak” resurrected it with some personal anecdotes from their time in Nanaimo.
It’s important to note that the following paragraph summarizes a rumor from the forum and not an accusation of involvement in Lisa’s case.
Several months later, in 2011, a user named “amnesty” began regularly posting in the forum, becoming an advocate for Lisa’s case over the next few years. This user claimed that the house Lisa was taken to belonged to a man named William Curry, who, along with his brother Michael, was allegedly known throughout Nanaimo as a violent individual. “Amnesty” posted articles (now defunct) detailing the Curry brothers’ criminal activities, as well as the legal consequences—or lack thereof. Much like Christopher Adair, William Curry’s criminal history is a matter of public record, and according to the user, it is extensive.
As more posts flooded in between 2007 and 2018, elements of the original story from “devilhisself” began to gain some credibility. For example, there is a truly good history of Freemasonry in Nanaimo. Additionally, Dan Barrigan, the man “devilhisself” claimed was murdered, indeed lost his life under mysterious circumstances—though the original article referenced in the forum has become difficult to find. And while the President of the Hells Angels, nicknamed “Zeke,” did disappear in 1993, there is no evidence of a beheading, and his case remains unsolved.
With these details seemingly corroborated, it raises the question: could the parts of “devilhisself’s” story concerning Lisa Marie Young also hold some truth?
Theories in Lisa Marie Young’s Disappearance
The primary theories about Lisa’s disappearance generally converge on similar ideas, but the extent of Christopher Adair’s involvement remains a subject of debate. Below, I’ve outlined the three most discussed scenarios regarding Adair’s potential role in Lisa’s fate:
Scenario 1 – Adair is Innocent:
In this scenario, Adair did not intend any harm to Lisa. He convinced her to accompany him to a third house party without knowing the types of people who would be there or their sinister intentions. Whatever happened to Lisa at this location, Adair was either powerless to stop it or unaware of the danger. For reasons unknown, Adair managed to leave or escape the residence unharmed, but crucially, he did not (to our knowledge) report the incident to the police immediately.
Scenario 2 – Adair is Partially Responsible:
Here, Adair is somewhat complicit. He purposefully stops at the mentioned house, perhaps to pick up drugs, and leaves Lisa in the car while doing so—this could explain why she called Dallas from the vehicle. Once the occupants of the house learn of Lisa’s presence, they decide she cannot leave, either because of sinister intentions or because she witnessed something she shouldn’t have. Adair may not have directly harmed her, but his actions facilitated whatever happened next.
Scenario 3 – Adair is Directly Responsible:
In this scenario, Adair was the key perpetrator. He exploited the situation as a “crime of opportunity” and deliberately delivered Lisa to the house, fully aware of the dangerous individuals who lived there. Alternatively, he could have been the sole person responsible for her disappearance, acting alone with full intent from the beginning.
Each scenario paints a different picture of Adair’s involvement, but all leave troubling questions unanswered. If he is innocent or only partially responsible, why didn’t he come forward? If he is directly involved, how did he manage to keep his role hidden for so long? These questions remain at the heart of the mystery, keeping Lisa’s case alive in the minds of those seeking justice for her.
Nanaimo, a sentient city, stands against the backdrop of its mountains and forests, quietly holding secrets within. It has endured for over a century, and might do so for a century more. Within its borders, streets carry legends, tales and myths. People live in the city, sworn to secrecy and in silence. And the same silence presses against the truth, forming the very bones of this town.
This post was made possible due to the excellent write-up by u/ MattCat1261 about the case.
Next, read about Eliza Vasquez, the girl who disappeared from a moving bus, and then, about the weird case of newer cars being tracked!
