Emotional appeal from family after missing woman case takes disturbing turn

Missing woman's case takes alarming turn A Fraser Valley family is desperate to find a missing woman after her camper was discovered with a man inside who later killed himself.

Vancouver — A Fraser Valley family is desperate to find a missing woman and is making an emotional plea to the public for help.

The investigation into April Parisian’s disappearance took a disturbing turn after her truck and camper were found with a man inside who later died of an apparent self-inflicted wound.

“April may have met with foul play and that is why IHIT is involved,” said Sgt. Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

April’s cousin, Tammy Francis, says the family is doing all they can to bring the 45-year-old missing woman home.

“I’m trying not to…break down. Trying to hold strong for her,” said an emotional Tammy on Tuesday.

The family says no one has heard from the Spuzzum, B.C. woman since April 5, and her last post on social media was on March 28 - something her sister said is out of character for her.

“She liked to do Facebook, she liked to check in with people,” Tammy said in an interview with CTV News.

Tammy says her family began to worry after her aunt received a phone call from April’s boyfriend, Paris Margesson.

“He said I still can’t find April, did she come to your house? My aunt got extremely worried. She said OK, I’m going to call the police,” Tammy explained.

Police had been looking for April’s truck and camper, a red 1998 Chevrolet 2500 with B.C. license plate MX8810.

The vehicle was found last week in a rural area on Vye Road near the Abbotsford-Chilliwack border.

A resident in the area says he noticed the truck and camper April 15 but he didn’t know anything was wrong until early the next morning when he awoke and saw police on his street.

RCMP say April wasn’t there, but officers did find a man inside the camper.

In a media release from last week, the RCMP says, “Upon arrival, they attempted to speak with a male inside the camper. After a short dialogue, they ultimately located the man inside with what is believed to be a self-inflicted wound.”

The man later died. Police have not identified him.

“It feels surreal. It’s something a family should never have to go through,” says Francis.

On Tuesday, IHIT asked for the public’s help as it develops a timeline of April’s recent activities. Mounties say she may have been seen in the company of her boyfriend and her brown pug.

April is described as an Indigenous woman with blue eyes. She is 5'7" tall and between 240 and 280 pounds.

Meanwhile, April’s family and friends have been putting up posters and searching for her.

“Just come home,” said Tammy, fighting back tears.

She says the family is desperate to find April but that hope is dwindling with each passing day.