By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

‘It broke everybody’: 6-months later, few answers in death of Makayla Chang

Nov 17, 2017 | 4:42 PM

NANAIMO — After one of Nanaimo’s most high-profile crimes, there’s been very little official talk about the disappearance and death of Makayla Chang.

The 16-year-old teen was first reported missing on March 22. Months later on May 18, Nanaimo RCMP confirmed they’d recovered her deceased body and were treating it as a homicide.

Since then, no releases and updates from police.

Brandy McKee, who knows the family and organized several vigils both before and after Chang was found, said the community is still feeling the repercussions of losing her.

“When you don’t have those answers and you’re waiting daily, morning and evening, you’re just waiting to hear of something coming out of the case and unfortunately we haven’t heard anything whatsoever. We know it happened, it broke every body and everyone’s remained broken. Especially since we’re dealing with a youth.”

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RCMP declined an interview when they announced her body had been found, saying the investigation into the “murder of Chang” is ongoing.

RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW there is still an active investigation into Chang’s disappearance as of Nov. 18.

At the height of the search in April, O’Brien said “Safe to say we have sufficient resources in place, they’re working full-time, it’s a priority in our detachment.”

McKee said while she understands RCMP have reasons for not sharing information, the silence does make an impact.

“I think for a lot of us it makes us feel like she’s not important, or it makes us feel like something that big can go on in our community. It almost feels like (the RCMP) aren’t working for us. It’s a hard pill to swallow.”

In the early weeks of the investigation, RCMP said they were looking for 53-year-old Steven Bacon, who allegedly had a close relationship with Chang. His house was searched for several days before he was found and talked to.

He was never officially listed as a suspect or person of interest by RCMP and was never mentioned again after they talked to him.

McKee said many in the community were aware the six month anniversary of Chang’s body being found was Saturday. “There’s not a day goes by we don’t think of her. It’s almost like she hasn’t been found…we just don’t know any details whatsoever.”

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