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A woman from Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation is camping outside of Regina’s landfill until the city begins to search for her daughter’s remains.
On Friday, Michele Bear had spent 10 days fasting in the hopes that her efforts can lead to her daughter receiving a proper burial.
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Her daughter Richele first went missing in 2013, and was later determined to be a victim of a homicide committed by Clayton Bo Eichler, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for her death and for the death of Kelly Goforth in 2016.
However, Richele’s body was never found.
Richele Bear first went missing in 2013. Clayton Bo Eichler pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her and Kelly Goforth in 2016. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)
Michele said she was told four years ago by Regina Police Service (RPS) officers that her daughter’s remains likely ended up in the landfill because that had been Eichler’s modus operandi (MO).
Michele said it’s been a frustrating ordeal.
“(I’ve been) very angry, very upset and obviously my anger has turned to action and I’m tired of waiting,” she said.
“Either I’m going to die, or the city’s going to come and start doing something about it.”
Michele said she was inspired to act from the successful calls to search landfills in Winnipeg and Saskatoon for the remains of women who had been murdered.
Mayor Chad Bachynski said the City of Regina is following the lead of Regina Police Service. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)
She said her stand isn’t just for her daughter but for all missing and murdered people across Canada.
“I’m just like anybody, I’m trying to look for their child. I’m a mother, my daughter’s been missing since then, I’m never going to give up,” she said.
“I’m never gonna stop. I’m gonna either die searching or I’m never gonna give up until she’s found.”
Bear said RPS has been supporting her to ensure her safety.
In an emailed statement to 980 CJME, RPS said its manager of victim services had been meeting with Bear daily at her campsite.
“Although charges were laid and Clayton Eichler was convicted in the murder of Richele Bear, we want to clarify that, at this time, we have no evidence that would confirm the location of her remains,” the statement read.
“As we do in every investigation, we will pursue all leads and information that may help us close this case. We encourage anyone with information to come forward to police.”
However, Bear points back to what she says she was told by officers about the killer’s MO.
Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski said the city was following the lead of RPS.
“It’s an incredibly devastating situation for (Bear) and her family … but ultimately the city is really taking the direction from RPS.”
Michele said she’ll remember her daughter as a kind, beautiful and intelligent woman.
“She loved art, she loved drawing, she loved painting, she loved sculptures. She was trying to get into woodworking, but I didn’t trust her with the tools. I didn’t want her cutting herself, so we just gave her a little carving set,” Michele said with a chuckle.
“She loved her brothers and sisters so much — she just cared about them so much.”
— With files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie
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