A Parksville mother is hoping 2024 might reveal what happened to her daughter, who went missing six years ago.
Carmel Gilmour went missing in November 2017, and despite police releasing the last known pictures of her, the investigation has stalled, but there is hope a new podcast episode might help.
Just over a month ago, the True North True Crime podcast released an episode examining the disappearance of Carmel. It was the first long-format piece about Carmel going missing, told primarily through an interview with her mother.
“I appreciated what they did and how I felt heard finally after six years because I’ve had so many false starts and I’ve done a lot of research searching investigating myself,” said Barbara Gilmour, her mother.
A year ago, Oceanside RCMP released two pictures of 36-year-old Carmel at the Liquor Depot in Parksville from the night she went missing on Nov. 14, 2017. Police were hoping for new tips.
Carmel’s boyfriend told CHEK News he broke up with her in her van on top of Little Mountain that night, and when he got out, she drove away. He walked down the mountain, and police say he reported her missing the next morning.
“He was fully cooperative with the investigation. At this point, investigators do not believe that her boyfriend is responsible or has any knowledge about Carmel’s current whereabouts,” said Sgt. Shane Worth from Oceanside RCMP in a December 2022 interview.
Her 2002 Chevy Venture was found abandoned six days later in Qualicum Beach.
Carmel’s mother says she’s received information that’s led her to believe her missing daughter met with foul play in the Parksville area.
“They don’t realize that I know, and they don’t want to bring that kind of information forward to a mother. Who wants to hear that their daughter was overdosed, raped and burned. That’s the information that came forward to me,” said Barbara.
Carmel’s mother says she’s been told the person responsible for her daughter’s death is no longer alive.
But in a statement, Sgt. Shane Worth says they “have received no further information to advance our investigation, and Carmel Gilmour is still a missing person. At this time, we do not have any concrete evidence aiding us in determining what happened to Carmel. Police would appreciate any information the public has to share with respect to Carmel’s disappearance.”
Carmel’s mother says she hopes people with information will step forward soon because she needs closure.
“This year, I’m laying my daughter to rest. I am not going to torture myself,” added Barbara.
It’s a mother’s plea to finally get some certainty in 2024.
2022 STORY: Police release new pictures of Parksville mother now missing five years
Kendall Hanson
