'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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.