An unattended pot of water left to boil on top of a stove in a remote cabin. That was the sign that tipped police off that a woman’s disappearance wasn’t just a case of a person getting lost in the woods. The unattended pot made them believe they were dealing with a homicide.

August 26, 2010 marked the four year anniversary of the disappearance of 70-year-old Stephanie Stewart from the Athabasca Lookout Tower, 25 kilometers north-west of Hinton off Highway 40, near the Nordic Ski Centre. On the anniversary of the woman’s disappearance, police are asking the public not to forget about Stewart and to please help them in their continued search.

“The RCMP remains committed to this case. Every avenue and tip are followed up by RCMP investigators in their attempts to locate Stephanie Stewart. Investigators have followed and will continue to follow all leads,” stated RCMP Sgt. Tim Taniguchi of the Strategic Communications Unit in Edmonton in a press release. 

To aid in the search, a reward of $20,000 has been posted by the government of Alberta and the Alberta Union of Public Employees for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of someone in Stewart’s disappearance.

Sgt. Taniguchi stated that a variety of other signs at Stewart’s cabin in the days after her disappearance led them to believe that she was likely attacked by a human being. Two pillows with blue pillow cases, a burgundy bed sheet and a duvet cover with Navajo patterns on it were  all missing from Stewart’s house.

The boiling pot of water, however, was one of the main keys that tipped police off that Stewart was missing under unusual circumstances. Boiling her water for the day was part of the routine that Stewart had followed for the past 18 fire seasons she had worked at the watch tower.

“Shortly after starting her routine, Stephanie was interrupted and she disappeared. Stephanie failed to report in to her coworkers and upon their arrival she was determined to be missing and the pot of boiling water remained as a reminder of a life interrupted,” stated Sgt. Taniguchi.

An extensive search was launched for Stewart after her disappearance. A manhunt involving helicopters, dogs, the RCMP’s major crimes unit, and various search and rescue teams from provincial and federal parks, fish and wildlife and land use departments, along with friends and family of Stewart, combed the woods north of Hinton for weeks on end.

Stewart had last spoken to her family the evening before she went missing. Stewart was a mother with a large extended family and many friends, all of whom continue to miss her very much, stated Sgt. Taniguchi.

“Stephanie was known to her family and friends as a woman who loved life and embraced the outdoors,” he stated.

In a video that Stewart’s family took of her during their last visit with her, they taped a woman who clearly loved her job. The video shows a spry woman climbing the tower’s ladder, conducting office chores and weather reports and generally enjoying her work.

“Stewart’s daily view of the mountains was the perfect backdrop for a woman, mother and friend who loved the outdoors,” stated Sgt. Taniguchi.

Stewart is described as being in good physical condition. She is approximately 5’0” - 5’2”, and 100 - 105 lbs, with blue eyes and shoulder length grey/auburn hair and glasses.

The RCMP are encouraging anyone who may have information relating to Stephanie Stewart’s disappearance, or information regarding suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities in the area of the Athabasca Tower, near Hinton, Alberta between Friday, August 25th and Saturday, August 26, 2006 to contact Hinton RCMP (780) 865-5544 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).