For 13 years, the mystery surrounding the fate of Madison Scott has haunted the community of Vanderhoof in British Columbia, about 80 kilometers west of Prince George and 530 kilometers north of Vancouver.

Scott, described as a lively and friendly 20-year-old, disappeared from a remote campsite in May 2011.

Twelve years later, in May 2023, her remains were discovered on a rural property about 10 miles from where she disappeared.

Now, a year after the tragic discovery, there are still no answers about her disappearance and death.

A smiling photo of Madison posted by her friends on a social media site, Help Find Madison Scott (Help Find Madison Scott/Facebook)

Scott disappeared after celebrating a friend’s birthday at Hogsback Lake, a popular local group camping spot about 16 miles southeast of Vanderhoof.

Scott had been texting her parents during the party, but they were unable to reach her the next day. She was reported missing on May 29, when her tent and truck were found abandoned at the campground.

There were extensive search operations by air, land and water using helicopters, horses and off-road vehicles.

The extensive search for Scott lasted 12 years. Posters with Scott’s face appeared on billboards throughout northern British Columbia. Her family offered a $100,000 reward, and there were annual searches and international media coverage.

A year after Madison Scott’s remains were found, a sign reading “Justice for Maddy” demands justice outside Vanderhoof, BC. (Catherine Hansen/CBC)

But there were still no answers to the question of how Scott disappeared and why she died.

Then, one year ago this week, there was the first breakthrough in the case: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said Scott’s remains had been found on a rural property about 18 kilometres from the campsite where she was last seen.

Police did not provide details, saying only that they were currently executing a search warrant for the property. For more than three weeks, Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrol cars, unmarked trucks and a white canvas roof could be seen from a gravel road near the property.

RCMP officers gather under a rural property outside Vanderhoof as it is searched in June 2023. (Betsy Trumpener/CBC)

The community publicly mourned Scott’s death, with the city flag at Vanderhoof City Hall being flown at half-mast. More than 1,000 people attended a vigil for Scott.

And many local people believed that the mystery surrounding Scott’s disappearance and death would soon be solved – and charges brought.

In a statement posted on social media this week, the Scott family said: “While finding Maddy has brought some relief, it has also raised many other questions that remain unresolved.”

“We are forever grateful for the continued love and support we have received over the past 13 years. We firmly believe that justice will be served.”

The RCMP declined an interview with CBC News this week. In a written statement Tuesday, RCMP North District Cpl. Madonna Saunderson said police “appreciate the public interest in the case” and hope to release more details in the future.

Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray says he has complete confidence in the RCMP.

Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray says he has full confidence in the RCMP’s investigation into the disappearance and death of Madison Scott. (Catherine Hansen/CBC)

“As we know in police investigations, a year is not a lot of time. They do what they have to do and hopefully the investigation will soon bear fruit and the justice system will do what it has to do and we will see justice done,” Moutray said.

Lynne Stuart is a women’s counselor and executive director of the Omineca Safe Home Society in Vanderhoof, where she works with women experiencing violence.

Lynne Stuart of the Omineca Safe Home Society in Vanderhoof helps women who experience violence. (Catherine Hansen/CBC)

Stuart says Scott’s death is a tragedy and adds to a pattern of violence against women in the area. And she wants answers from police.

“What we’re hearing from the ladies we serve and from people who were friends with Madison is just frustration and… great concern. Why did it take so long to find her?” Stuart said.

“Now there is this disbelief – why is it still taking so long? I realize these things take time, but what is disheartening is the complete lack of information,” she said.

In its written statement, the RCMP said a special major crimes unit is working with the Vanderhoof detachment on an investigation that is “active and ongoing.”

The RCMP says they “need further assistance to achieve justice” and is asking the public for tips and new information about Madison’s disappearance.

Madison Scott’s family posted a loving message on the Justice for Maddy Facebook page in May 2024. (Facebook)