The parents of Jennifer Catcheway, a Portage la Prairie woman who's been missing for nine years, are following a new lead in their search to find their daughter that brings them back to Dakota Tipi First Nation — where Bernice and Wilfred Catcheway searched landfills and yards in 2015.

Jennifer has been missing since June 19, 2008, and was last seen in Grand Rapids, Manitoba.  Since her disappearance, Bernice and Wilfred have travelled across the province following leads from stories they've been told to try to find their daughter. The RCMP have ruled Jennifer's disappearance a homicide, past reports indicate.

The parents sent a letter to Dakota Tipi First Nation's Chief Keith Pashe and band council this week, asking for continued support to follow new information and continue their search on the reserve beginning next week, June 19.

“We felt we were limited to certain areas (when we last searched Dakota Tipi) and we're hoping next week we can just get in and do what we need to do,” says Bernice Catcheway. “It's not that we're trying to go into private property or homes, or anything like that. We respect that. But we have certain areas we'd like to go just to complete our search.”

Wilfred remains determined to follow every lead to find answers about what happened to Jennifer. The parents spent last summer searching Duck Bay after receiving information their daughter's remains may be in the area. 

“We're just going ahead, we always move forward. The stories are part of the problem, there are just so many stories out there and that's what we've been following. We've left no stone unturned,” Wilfred says. “Sometimes we feel like we're going in circles. But I feel that we're just getting closer.”

Wilfred and Bernice mark the anniversary of Jennifer's disappearance each year with a barbecue fundraiser to support ongoing search efforts. Tomorrow, they'll open their Poplar Bay home to the community as they await answers from Dakota Tipi leadership to their request to continue their search.

“We just want to find Jennifer. It's been so long, too long, ” Bernice adds. “We just want this nightmare to end. And why not have access and put it to rest. We just want to go in and search.”