Port Alberni marks one year since Amber Manthorne’s disappearance
Posted July 7, 2023 6:15 am.
Last Updated July 7, 2023 7:53 am.
On Friday, Amber Manthorne’s community will gather at the lighthouse in the harbour to stand together in grief and solidarity. The planned vigil marks one year since the 40-year-old woman vanished from her Port Alberni home.
In the period following her disappearance, the community of Port Alberni came out in the hundreds to search for Amber. One year later, Amber’s pink missing poster is still posted in local shops and restaurants and a large banner hangs along the main road through town.
A banner with information on Amber Manthorne’s disappearance hung in Port Alberni, B.C. (CityNews Image)
Shannon Murray remembers her little sister Amber as a spirited, fun-loving young woman who she jokes was “hell on wheels” as a child. Shannon fondly recalls how her sister was the “princess” of the family, a woman “who took care of herself, worked hard and took the time to always look good.”
“I think she just wanted to be happy. She had a lot to look forward to. She said at one time she didn’t wanna have kids, but she changed her mind and considered that maybe when she married somewhere down the line, she might have kids,” she recalled
Cheryl Payne was a close friend of Amber’s. She says the past year has been challenging.
“Now that the shock has settled, we’re dealing with a lot of raw emotion. The majority of us still are traumatized and dealing with prolonged grief,” she said.
(Left to right) Cheryl Payne, Danielle Dube-Campbell, Amy Brevick (d) Jill Rolston and Amber Manthorne. (Supplied)
A summer wedding postponed when Amber first disappears goes forward in the fall, with a bouquet and an empty place where Amber should have been.
“Everywhere I go in town a lot of people still ask if there are any new updates on Amber. It’s extremely disheartening to keep saying we have no answers or know what happened to her. It really has affected everyone not just Ambers’s family and friends but the community as a whole,” Payne said.
No leads on Amber’s disappearance
When Amber Manthorne first vanished, authorities believed her to be in her 2021 white Jeep Compass in the company of her boyfriend Justin Hall. Her vehicle was found on July 8 abandoned on a rural road near Cassidy (outside of Nanaimo). Hall surfaced days later.
In an email to CHEK news, Hall stated that he and Manthorne argued that night, but that he did not hurt her. No one has been charged in connection with Amber’s disappearance.
A poster with information on Amber Manthorne, who has been missing from Port Alberni for a year.
Justin Hall passed away earlier this month, according to sources close to the matter.
RCMP Corp. Alex Bérubé is the Island District’s Media Relations Officer. At the time of writing, he confirmed there are no updates front the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crimes Unit (VIIMCU) on the investigation at this time.
Amber’s family seeks closure
An earlier Celebration of Life for Manthorne was postponed due to the closure of Hwy 4.
Amber’s big sister Shannon Murray believes family and friends need to say goodbye.
“The thing is we have looked everywhere and we don’t know where else to look for her. And we’ve, we’ve searched every logging road. People need closure. People are ready for this. We’ve talked to family and friends, everybody pretty much agrees that we’re all ready to do this. She’s not coming back. I still want to bring her body home,” she said.
Cheryl Payne is helping to organize the candlelight vigil for Amber on Friday evening at Harbour Quay Marina in Port Alberni.
“This is not only for family and friends but for the community as well. We are all left dealing with the consequences of someone else’s actions. This is a way we can gather and support each other as we mark one year without our friend,” she said.
Amber’s loved ones have been overwhelmed with the love and support of the community in the year since she vanished. According to Amber’s sister, Shannon, the feeling was mutual.
“Amber loved being alive, she loved her family and friends and she just loved Port Alberni. This is her home. She had all her best times here,” she said.
While Amber’s disappearance is out of character, it may not be a crime. Police haven’t ruled out criminality.
Anyone with information who has not already spoken with police is asked to contact the Port Alberni RCMP at 250-723-2424.
If you want to help support Amber’s family and friends you can join them on Facebook through the group Finding Amber Manthorne.
“Finding Amber” a podcast series about Amber’s disappearance is releasing two new episodes to mark the one-year anniversary. You can listen to “Finding Amber” wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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