It’s a story that rocked Kelowna 25 years ago.
In 1994, the body of eight-year-old Mindy Tran was found in Mission Creek Regional Park, Tran was abducted while riding her bike in a Rutland neighbourhood.
Her body was found six weeks later in a shallow grave after intensive searches across the city, which then was home to just over 76,000 people.
Shannon Murrin, a neighbour, was charged with her murder, but was acquitted and returned to Newfoundland, joined by one of his jurors, Kathy MacDonald, who later admitted they had fallen in love during the trial.
Since Murrin’s acquittal, the murder remains unsolved.
Today, 25 years later, a small group of mourners met at the Mindy Tran Memorial, a tree with a sign next to it featuring her school photo and a dedication to the memory of the little girl.
The dedication reads, “See this tree that will grow instead of Mindy.”
Roses were laid, kisses were blown and a prayer was said in Tran’s memory.
“I want to remember the little girl … I want her to rest in peace,” said Shui Lee, a friend of Tran family who helped search for Mindy.
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Lee spoke on behalf of her parents who did not attend the ceremony because it was “too painful.” However, Lee said that the couple is still grateful for the support of the community in the search for their daughter.
“Every night they are still so angry,” said Lee.
For Sandi Giddings, her son lost a best friend all those years ago.
“There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t think of her,” said Giddings, who also helped search for Tran.
“She was a very lovely girl, a beautiful girl inside and out … Kelowna shouldn’t be forgetting this. This was a tragic thing … we need to remember this.”
A reporter at CHBC when Tran was abducted, Deputy Mayor Mohini Singh has never forgotten the effect of the little girls’ disappearance.
Tran’s memorial and her tree sits at the Springfield/ Ziprick Road parking lot, close to where she was found.
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