Thunder Bay

Ryan McMahon loves Thunder Bay. He grew up around the city, played hockey there and has friends and family in the area. But he also fears this city -- it has a heaviness he can't escape. For years, Indigenous youth have been mysteriously turning up dead in Thunder Bay waterways. In 2018, Ryan made a podcast about it, but in the end, it just turned up more questions than answers. Now he's back, determined to uncover the truth. In episode one, Ryan delves into the unexplained death of a young hockey player, Jordan Wabasse, from Webequie First Nation and follows the criminal trial of the notorious Brayden Bushby, accused of murdering an Indigenous woman, Barbara Kentner, with a trailer hitch.

The Thunder Bay police claim that the deaths of Indigenous youth and adults in the city are all simply tragic accidents, but rumours swirling around the community tell a different story. Ryan explores three alternative theories. For years, Indigenous families feared there could be a Serial Killer on the loose targeting young Indigenous youth coming to the city for school. Is this what happened to Jordan Wabasse? The second theory focuses on the city's Gang Culture. But perhaps the darkest theory is one few dare to speak, the possibility that there may be a loosely organized posse of Racist Vigilantes trolling the city's waterways at night, looking for vulnerable people, to throw into the river.

Despite growing evidence to the contrary, the Thunder Bay police continue to deny any wrong-doing in the deaths of Indigenous children turning up dead in the city's waterways. No matter what, they stick to their story of No Foul Play, and refuse to investigate the deaths as such. But one case, the death of Stacey DeBungee, is so egregiously mishandled, the Indigenous community won't let it go. Is it on purpose? Is it because Indigenous lives just don't matter as much as white people's lives in Thunder Bay? Are the police covering something up? Ryan isn't the only one asking these questions. Two police officers break the thin blue line to contact Ryan. There's something sinister going on inside the police force and they want Ryan's help.

Through two confidential police informants, Ryan learns that the Thunder Bay Police Service is on the verge of collapse. Indigenous police board member Georjann Morriseau reveals that Police Chief Hauth has opened a criminal investigation into her to force her into silence and that she now fears for her life. Ryan follows her as she goes public with her claims. The result is shocking. Ryan receives a covertly leaked report that confirms his worst suspicions -- the Thunder Bay Police have covered up hundreds more Indigenous deaths. Ryan storms the Thunder Bay Police Station demanding answers and is iced out for the last time. He lands an interview with the Chief Coroner of Ontario. Will he finally get the answers he seeks