In the quiet city of Bathurst, New Brunswick, the morning of May 11, 2021, began like any other for 14-year-old Madison Roy-Boudreau. A bright and bubbly girl known for her love of singing and dancing, she left her home around 7:30 a.m., presumably to catch her school bus. Instead, she was seen getting into a grey Ford Ranger pickup truck. This would be the last confirmed sighting of Madison.
That evening, when she failed to return home, her father reported her missing to the Bathurst Police Force, setting in motion an investigation that would grip the community and the nation. Madison was described as being five feet four inches tall, weighing 119 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time she was last seen, she was wearing a grey sweater, camouflage-coloured pants, and silver shoes.
The initial hours of the investigation quickly turned into days, and the disappearance was deemed suspicious as friends and family had not heard from her. Investigators swiftly located the grey Ford Ranger she was seen entering and seized the vehicle. A man named Steven Laurette was identified as the driver and was arrested a few days later on an unrelated matter. The investigation intensified, with extensive searches conducted by various law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP. These efforts were exhaustive, utilizing helicopters, K-9 units, underwater recovery teams, and drones to search on land, in the water, and from the air. Despite these efforts, Madison was not found. On May 27, 2021, the case was officially classified as a criminal investigation. A significant turning point came on August 11, 2021, when police announced they were treating her disappearance as a homicide. The investigation's focus later shifted to the rural area of Middle River, based on information that Madison may have been in that location after she was last seen in Bathurst.
As the years have passed, the search for Madison and for answers has continued relentlessly. The New Brunswick RCMP's Major Crime Unit eventually took the lead in the investigation, treating it as a top priority. The search efforts have been described as one of the largest ever undertaken for this type of investigation in Canada, recently employing advanced technology like ground-penetrating radar. Unsealed court documents later revealed that police suspect Steven Laurette, who was known to Madison's family, was with her when she was last seen and is a suspect in her murder, though no charges have been laid in connection with her disappearance. The case remains an active homicide investigation. The community, deeply affected by the loss of the vibrant teenager, has held walks to raise awareness, often wearing purple ribbons, Madison's favorite color. Her family has endured unimaginable pain, at times expressing frustration over the lack of communication from officials while conducting their own searches. The disappearance of Madison Roy-Boudreau is a heart-wrenching story of a young life cut short, leaving a family and a community with unanswered questions and an enduring hope for justice.Last Seen: May 11, 2021
