'They never had any closure right to the grave'; brother says of family's grief after human remains found
Nova Scotia RCMP say they've recovered human remains that may be connected to a woman who disappeared from Eastern Passage nearly 22 years ago, and the woman's brother says he's greatly relieved to finally have a sense of closure in the case.
"I can't describe how good that closure feels," says Troy McLean from his home in Dieppe, N.B. "To get that behind me."
Arlene McLean was 28 when she vanished on Sept. 8, 1999.
She told her common-law husband she was stepping out around 8:30 p.m., and that she wouldn't be gone long.
She took the family car, a 1993 green Elantra, and both vanished without a trace.
The case languished for years in Nova Scotia's Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program.
Frequently revisited by media around the anniversary, it was also a featured case in the web series Unforgotten, produced by Rattlebox Multimedia in collaboration with the RCMP/HRP Special Investigation Section
In a short news release issued Wednesday, RCMP revealed they'd recovered human remains related to the case, but declined to say where or when they were found.
"The investigation is ongoing to determine what happened with the disappearance, and we'll have more information available once we can provide that information," Halifax District RCMP Cpl. Lisa Croteau told CTV News, adding the force was working with the medical examiner to verify the identity.
Although surprised and shocked to get the call from investigators last week, Troy McLean says the news brings a sense of peace to Arlene's loved ones, although it comes too late for their parents.
"My father died of cancer about six months after my sister disappeared, and my mother was just four years the other day," he says. "As a parent, they never had any closure right to the grave. And, as a parent (myself) now, I can only imagine how that dogged them through the years."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Funeral today for broadcasting legend and voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada' Bob Cole
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
Foreign meddling 'did not affect' overall federal election results: inquiry report
Foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a federal commission of inquiry has found.