Patricia Flynn Missing Since 1982: The Unsolved Yarrow, BC Case

Patricia Elizabeth Flynn: Missing Since 1982

Birthdate range: March 25, 1943 through March 24, 1944

• Calculated using her age on the date she went missing; useful for identifying her in a family tree or any such records

Case Details

Patricia Flynn was 38 years old when she went missing from her home in Yarrow, British Columbia, in March 1982. Yarrow is in the Chilliwack area of British Columbia, located south of the Trans Canada Highway and near Cultus Lake. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Patricia was last seen on Wednesday, March 24, 1982, running into the forest from her family residence. She was wearing only a nightgown and slippers. However, newspaper articles from the time suggest other sightings.

An immediate search of the surrounding area began and continued for several days, but Patricia was not found. Eventually, the search was called off. The case is recorded by the Chilliwack RCMP under File #1982-4030. Patricia has never been located, and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unknown.

If you are looking for some case details, I recommend visiting Paul Henderson's post about the disappearance, as he appears to have dug into some newspaper articles. As described, the RCMP said she was last seen running into the forest wearing slippers and a nightgown. In my opinion, that evokes themes of mental health and self-harm, but the RCMP seemed to have taken some criticism over their search efforts for this missing person.

Inappropriate Footwear in Missing Persons Cases

Being barefoot in public or wearing footwear that is not appropriate is a recurring theme in missing persons cases. In Flynn's case, she was wearing only slippers when she went outside.

The early spring in Chilliwack would not be a warm time of year yet, although I could not find an exact temperature for the day she was last seen. I would not think that someone would survive 24 hours with only slippers and a nightgown outdoors in that region in late March. The daily high might be around 12C with a low around 2-3C at that time of year (personal estimate).

Why is inappropriate footwear so commonly associated with missing persons cases? It can reflect a lot of things, like sudden flight, disorientation, distress, or other matters.

In some of my blog posts, I've suggested that inappropriate footwear (including no footwear) reflects a call for help, as someone out in public with inappropriate footwear would actually draw attention from concerned onlookers. Furthermore, I've thought that in some cases someone leaving with inappropriate footwear would be doing so because they don't want someone they live with to know that they've left their residence.

Why the Case Was Revisited

In 1982, DNA was still being developed for police work and procedures. As a result, the RCMP says that no DNA was obtained from Patricia or either of her parents. The RCMP's 2025 investigation noted that Patricia had no brothers, sisters, or children, and both of her parents died within two years of her disappearance. Investigators' notes indicated that the Flynn family had relatives "back East," although police said it was unclear exactly where those relatives were located.

Latest Update I Could Find

The most recent public update I could find concerning Patricia Flynn's disappearance is an RCMP appeal published on May 15, 2025. The Chilliwack RCMP was seeking the public's assistance in identifying surviving family members who may share familial DNA with Patricia.

According to police, obtaining familial DNA could allow investigators to compare it with unidentified persons in Canada and internationally. The RCMP said that such a comparison could be key to advancing the investigation into Patricia Flynn's disappearance.

I have not been able to find a more recent public update confirming that Patricia Flynn has been located, that her remains have been identified, or that the DNA investigation has produced a match. Therefore, based on the information publicly available to me, her case remains unresolved.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police — Police Seeking Family of historical missing person Patricia Flynn , Chilliwack RCMP, May 15, 2025, File #1982-4030.

The RCMP page is part of the British Columbia RCMP web archives and has not been updated since it was archived. The archived release states that the information was last modified on May 20, 2025.