Oceanside RCMP say numerous interviews have failed to uncover what happened to Carmel Gilmour and where she may be. (Oceanside RCMP)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Looking for answers

RCMP believe public can help advance cold case of missing Parksville woman

Dec 15, 2022 | 5:23 AM

PARKSVILLE — More than five years after she was last known to be seen west of Parksville, Carmel Gilmour’s whereabouts remains a mystery.

Oceanside RCMP say her last confirmed sighting was on Nov. 14, 2017 between 10 and 11 p.m. on Little Mountain with her boyfriend.

Gilmour, 36-years-old at the time, was seen at around 9 p.m. the same evening at Liqour Depot, now known as Mid Island Liquor, on the Alberni Hwy. in downtown Parksville.

She was reported missing the following day by her boyfriend, while Gilmour’s van was discovered a week after she was last seen.

Her vehicle was parked along the waterfront in Qualicum Beach where police say there was no sign of violence or a struggle inside her 2002 Chevrolet Venture van.

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Image of the van Gilmour was driving the night she was last seen. This vehicle was searched on Qualicum Beach’s waterfront near the Shady Rest Pub on Nov. 21, 2017. (Oceanside RCMP)

Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Shane Worth said investigators don’t believe her boyfriend played any role in her disappearance.

“We don’t have any information to believe there’s any criminality involved in her disappearance, but we’d still like to speak to anybody who hasn’t yet spoken to the police…maybe this will help jog their memory that they saw her or they spoke to her.”

Gilmour, a mother of two children, was reported to be acting confused and paranoid while she was alone inside the liquor store prior to her disappearance.

Newly released surveillance images from the liquor store were recently distributed by Oceanside RCMP, but were not part of their public calls for help in 2017.

Worth, who was not with the Oceanside detachment in 2017, was not able to say why the pictures were not released to the public prior to the last week.

A second still image from surveillance footage captured hours before Carmel Gilmour was last seen. (Oceanside RCMP)

Items such as Gilmour’s keys, cell phone, purse or wallet were not found in the van, Worth said.

“The investigators think that someone does have some information about where she may be or may have seen her during that time when she went missing, but maybe didn’t speak to police at the time or didn’t feel comfortable speak to police at the time.”

Barbara Gilmour, Carmel’s mother, is convinced her daughter is no longer alive.

She believes people living on the street and other people in the community have information on what happened to her daughter.

“I think the main thing is for people to come forward with information, or what I have to do is accept a certain outcome that I might never find her remains.”

Barbara Gilmour said people appear to be afraid to reach out to police with potentially valuable information.

“I don’t know how to get around that, how do you create space for these people to come forward?”

Barbara Gilmour said she has worked closely with Oceanside RCMP to help solve her daughter’s disappearance.

Carmel Gilmour is Caucasian with brown hair and hazel eyes, standing 5’6″ and a medium build.

Anybody with information on Carmel Georgina Gilmour’s disappearance, please contact the Oceanside RCMP at (250) 248-6111 quoting file # 2017-10474.

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