Family of Hay River woman who died in B.C. moving forward

Over a year after Brittany Martel of Hay River, N.W.T., was found dead near Merritt, B.C., two of her relatives say they're setting aside their questions about what happened. 

Brittany's cousin April Martel says her family has met with police investigators, spoken to psychics, and viewed photos of her cousin's body to try and get some closure. 

"I feel like that's all the answers that we're going to get," April said. "I have come to terms that Brittany is … gone."

Daylight was fading when Brittany's body was found near a highway outside Merritt on July 22, 2018. That meant an immediate search could risk ruining evidence or missing details, RCMP told CBC in August.

An officer stayed beside her body until just before sunrise. Investigators started combing through the scene the next morning, and a helicopter was sent out to fly overhead, trying to find more of her belongings.

"Throughout the investigation, there is no evidence to support any foul play was involved in Ms. Martel's death," wrote RCMP spokesperson Janelle Soichet, in an email last August.

Police deemed Brittany's death not suspicious. A B.C. coroner's investigation is still ongoing, and that office declined to comment to CBC News before the report was complete. 

The RCMP told CBC that in an investigation, police tend to talk to one point of contact in the family about what was happening, and the contact person for Brittany's case received daily and sometimes hourly updates from police.

Many questions remain

April and her aunt Dolly Martel have been open about Brittany's struggle with drugs. They told CBC that investigators have told them drugs may have been involved in Brittany's death. The B.C. coroner's office said an official cause of death and contributing factors would be released in the final report.

But they were still left with questions: how did Brittany end up on the side of the road? Where did she get drugs in the middle of nowhere? If Brittany's ride left without her in a remote location, could the driver be held accountable? When will Brittany's things — her phone, her clothing — be returned to the family? 

B.C. RCMP confirmed receipt of a request for comment at the end of the day on Wednesday. 

We as a family — as hard as it is — we decided we'd let Brittany rest.​​​​​​- Dolly Martel

Dolly describes herself as being "the crazy auntie," demanding more information until she got an emotional meeting in Yellowknife with investigators and N.W.T. Victim Services last month. It was an opportunity to ask questions about the investigation, and to see photos of Brittany in the state she was found.

"That was my closure," she said. 

April Martel, who is also the chief of the K'atl'odeeche First Nation near Hay River, said her cousin was seen walking down a highway on dashcam footage from a car on the highway, approximately two days before she died.

"Where was she for two days?" April said she asked investigators at the meeting. She said police responded that they would try to fill in that gap for her. 

Dolly Martel is now moving forward. She says she is planning a memorial picnic for Brittany in Hay River on Aug. 6, about a year after she was buried.

"As much as we want to find more answers," she said, "we as a family — as hard as it is — we decided we'd let Brittany rest."