'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
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.