Ontario's Missing Adults

HORVATH-ALLAN, Charles Karoly John

Arm – tattoo of a skull with a ‘Mohawk’ haircut on upper left arm
Head – scar on right side of head (pictured below)
Piercing – left ear lobe pierced

Build – medium
Complexion – light/fair

In September of 1988, Charles left his home in England to visit Canada.  He was born in Cochenour, Ontario and was returning to visit with his natural father and godfather.

The following spring, Charles embarked on a trip west across the country.  During his travels, Charles was in contact with his family in England and Canada.  The timeline of his travel showed that Charles stopped in Ontario in mid-March, Saskatchewan at the end of March, and Banff, Alberta in April, arriving in Kelowna. British Columbia in early May 1989.  When Charles arrived in Kelowna, he stayed at the family home of a friend named Jo.

Charles and his mother planned to meet in Hong Kong after he left Canada.  On May 11, 1989 he contacted his mother by fax to ask for the new home fax machine number and to pass along flight information to travel from Kelowna to Hong Kong.  Charles registered at the Tiny Town Tent and RV Park on Lakeshore Road where he was living in a tent on the campground when he disappeared.

While traveling, Charles found jobs by registering with various student agencies.  On May 26, 1989, the employment agency sent Charles to work at the Flintstone Bedrock City Amusement Park.  Charles cashed his paycheque at the Royal Bank located at Orchard Park in Kelowna.  He then hitch hiked into town.

In 1990, Charles’ mother and grandmother traveled from England to Kelowna to search for him.  Their motel was located directly across the street from the campground.  When they visited Tiny Tent Town for the first time, the manager returned Charles’ red Bible, his rosary and a leather strap from his boot.  His tent, sleeping bag, identification and photographs were disposed of by the manager of the campground.  Charles’ clothing and shaving kit had been distributed and used by other residents of the camp.

His family informed police of the items that were returned to them.  The following day, the RCMP went to the camp and recovered Charles’ shaving bag and two short sleeved shirts – one pink and one white and established who had two of Charles’ sweaters which were later recovered.

In 1992, his mother returned to Kelowna to continue her search for Charles.  While staying at the Pandosy Inn Motel, an anonymous letter was delivered to his mother.  The note indicated that Charles had been killed during a brawl and that his body was thrown into Lake Okanagan.

While local ‘Volunteer Divers’ and ‘International Sea Search’ were searching the lake beneath the Floating Bridge on behalf of Charles’ family, Charles’ mother again received an anonymous note.  The note said that they were searching the wrong side of the Bridge.  Police and Charles’ family are urging this person, or anyone with information about Charles’ case to come forward.

On the fifth of the six day search, the police joined ‘International Sea Search’ (ISS).  On the sixth day at 10.14 a.m., ISS telephoned the police to advise that they had located a body as the Police were not present.  The police arrived at 10.17 a.m. and their Divers went into Okanagan Lake and recovered a male body on Friday April 3, 1992.  Despite the police searching for another week beneath the Floating Bridge, Charles’ remains have not been located.

Police would also like to speak with anyone who can identify the captain of a boat that would circle around Kelowna’s City Park in 1989.  The boat would pick up a couple of young men, leave for 15 minutes and come back.  The captain was described as being in his 50s with wavy grey hair and a beard.  This description of the captain also matches that of a man who left the Jonathan Segals bar with Charles in May 1989 in an older model truck with a green and white camper.

For more detailed information, timelines and additional pictures, please visit the links below.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Kelowna Detachment
250-762-3300
Additional Details and Contacts

BC RCMP
Search for Charles Kj Horvath-Allan – Facebook group
Kelowna News – May 27, 2008 Edition
National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains