The Case That Haunts Me Season 1 Episode 3 Project Hitchhiker

In The Case That Haunts Me season 1 episode 3 titled Project Hitchhiker, viewers are taken back to the late 1980s when a string of disappearances and murders of young women began to occur along British Columbia's Highway 16, better known as the "Highway of Tears".

The episode follows retired RCMP officer Lorne Nikkel as he revisits one of the cases he worked on, that of 16-year-old Colleen MacMillen who went missing in August of 1974. Her remains were found a month later but her killer was never caught.

Nikkel discusses the difficulties of investigating these types of cases, especially in small communities where everyone knows everyone and secrets are hard to keep. He also reveals the new technology and techniques that have been developed since he worked the case that could potentially help catch Colleen's killer and bring closure to her family.

The episode also sheds light on the systemic racism and lack of resources that hindered investigations into the Highway of Tears cases as many of the victims were indigenous women. Former police officer Ray Michalko, who worked on a task force dedicated to solving these cases, discusses the challenges faced by investigators including limited funding and lack of cooperation from some members of the community.

As the episode progresses, viewers are introduced to officer Janelle Shoihet, who is currently leading the investigation into Colleen's murder. With new DNA technology at her disposal, Shoihet re-examines the evidence collected from the crime scene in hopes of finding a match in the national DNA database.

The Case That Haunts Me season 1 episode 3 offers a sobering look at the real-life stories of the victims of the Highway of Tears and the ongoing efforts to solve their cases. It highlights the tireless work of law enforcement and their dedication to bringing justice to victims and their families.