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Nearly two decades after 17-year-old Jodi Henrickson vanished from Bowen Island, investigators have returned to the area in a renewed effort to find answers. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) conducted a fresh search on the island this week, confirming that the cold case remains an active priority for police.
A Mystery That Has Lasted Almost 20 Years
Henrickson, who was from Squamish, British Columbia, disappeared in June 2009 after attending a house party on Bowen Island. She has never been found. No charges have ever been laid in connection with her disappearance.
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Early in the investigation, police identified Gavin Arnott, Henrickson’s ex-boyfriend, as a person of interest. That designation remains unchanged today. Just two weeks before the party, Arnott, who was 19 at the time, received a conviction for assaulting Henrickson. He received a conditional discharge and a court order prohibiting him from contacting her.
Arnott Speaks Outside Alberta Courtroom
This week, Arnott appeared outside an Alberta courtroom on an unrelated matter. Global News approached him about the new police search near his family’s property on Bowen Island.
“They’re not going to find anything, just because they haven’t for the last 20 years,” Arnott said. He added that nothing would tie him to the case. “There’s nothing to implicate me,” he said. “It’s not really anything to bother me.”
IHIT Confirms Search Found No Remains
IHIT Sergeant Freda Fong confirmed the outcome of the latest search. “We did not locate Jodi Henrickson’s remains,” she said. However, she emphasized that investigators remain committed to pursuing every available lead.
“A dedicated team of investigators on IHIT’s cold case team is committed to exhausting every lead,” Sgt. Fong said. She also confirmed that the person of interest identified early in the investigation has not changed.
This is not the first recent search of the area. In November 2024, homicide detectives searched the same location on Bowen Island after cadaver dogs used by a film crew indicated something of interest. At the time, authorities did not release further details about those findings.
Family Pleads for Answers
For Jodi’s family, each new search brings a small measure of hope alongside continued pain. Her brother, Rob Henrickson, spoke to Global News about what the family needs most.
“Justice for me and my family is understanding what happened to Jodi,” Rob said. “Right now we have absolutely no idea what happened to Jodi that night.”
Rob also directed a direct appeal to anyone who may hold information about his sister’s fate. “If anyone knows anything at all, put an end to this,” he said. “Please let us know what happened to Jodi.”
The case remains open. IHIT’s cold case team continues to investigate Jodi Henrickson’s disappearance and is urging anyone with relevant information to come forward.
