Eight months after Jennifer Provencal vanished from her rural home in the South Cariboo under suspicious circumstances, her husband denies he had anything to do with his wife’s disappearance.
Just off Highway 97 near 100 Mile House, B.C., Forest Grove is home to some 338 residents.
Jennifer Provencal, a mother of three sons, has lived in the small unincorporated community for almost two decades. She sold her crafts on Etsy, and is known to many as the “Bead Barn Lady”, according to her sister.
“I just want to find out what happened to my sister,” said Johanne Provencal from Montreal.
The Strange Disappearance of Jennifer Provencal
RCMP said Jennifer Provencal was last seen Feb. 5 but not reported missing until two and a half months later.
Police suspect foul play.
“Things don’t add up and I don’t have the answers for why things don’t add up,” Johanne told Global News in an interview.
Johanne’s 51-year-old sister was living off-grid on a remote property with her husband and 14-year-old son.
When Johanne, who lives in Montreal, last spoke with Jennifer in July 2024, she learned her sister’s husband had been injured a month earlier, in a school bus crash near 100 Mile House.
More than 30 people were hurt and a pedestrian was killed on June 21, 2024, when the school bus carrying 31 children and four adults went off the road and into a ditch on Highway 97 just north of Lac La Hache.
Tom Boulding had been a chaperone on a field trip for Grade 6 and 7 students from 100 Mile Elementary and Horse Lake Elementary schools, and the group was returning from Gavin Lake when the bus veered off the highway.
Johanne said Boulding went to hospital in Kelowna following what police determined was a tragic accident, caused by the bus driver suffering a medical event.
“They had been arguing,” Johanne recalled Jennifer telling her during their last phone call. “She said, you know, things that married couples argue about, you know, money, the kids, that sort of thing.”
Jennifer Provencal’s Last Known Sighting
Boulding told Global News he last saw Jennifer on the morning of Feb. 5.
“We had an argument about my time management skills,” said Boulding from outside his home.
Boulding said he then went to get hay and when he came home, Jennifer was gone.
When asked what he thought happened, Boulding said he didn’t know.
“I have so many different ideas since I’ve been thinking about it but yeah, took off with another man, just left like cause, she had left a few times before, gone to a motel and then called me the next day or whatever to come pick her up,” Boulding said. “But yeah, I figured I would be getting a call about something.”
Tom Boulding at the Forest Grove Legion.
Facebook/Tommy Boulding
Where is Jennifer Provencal?
On Feb. 14, Johanne said she called and left a message for Jennifer – but never heard back.
Ten days later on Feb. 24, Kelly Price said Boulding came in to Four Rivers Co-op in 100 Mile House, where Jennifer often bought feed for their goats.
“Because Jennifer usually comes in, I guess it was just something I thought, where’s Jennifer?” recalled Price. “So I just asked him, I said no Jennifer today and he said no, that she was under the weather.”
Price said Boulding returned alone on March 13 and made a payment on their bill.
“I just thought Wow, Jennifer’s still not feeling well and he goes, ‘Yeah, nope, she’s just at home trying to get better,’” said Price.
Boulding said he doesn’t remember saying ‘under the weather’ and instead told people that Jennifer was “out visiting.”
“I didn’t want to get into all of our personal issues…”, Boulding said in an interview. “I just didn’t know what to say to people.”
Johanne tried the couple’s landline again in April and spoke to her nephew. Two days later, on April 21, she said Boulding called her.
“And he said, you know, I thought she was with you. I haven’t seen her since Feb. 5,” recalled Johanne. “I just thought OK, like, tell me what happened. You know, he’s like, we had a big fight, she said she was (leaving), she stormed off. She said she was (going to) contact you, I thought she was with you.”
Delayed Missing Person Report
During the April 21 phone call, Johanne said she asked Boulding if he had called the police.
“He said no, and I said, well, I think we need to call the police,” recalled Johanne.
Johanne said she and her daughter immediately called the police from Montreal to report Jennifer missing.
On April 25, the RCMP went public, issuing a news release which urged anyone who knew where Jennifer was to contact police.
Mounties published a second news release with a similar plea on June 3.
On Sept. 22, RCMP issued a third news release, announcing that foul play was suspected in Jennifer’s “suspicious” disappearance and the North District Major Crime Unit (NDMCU) was now leading the investigation.
“That was actually from the outset, once Johanne got involved, they said that it was, I was under suspicion for that,” Boulding told Global News.
Jennifer’s husband said he didn’t have anything to do with her disappearance.
“No, I did not,” Boulding said. “I came home and she was just gone, like I have nothing beyond that. I am in the dark about all of it.”
Boulding said he has no idea what could have happened to Jennifer. He said he did not kill his wife, and believes she’s still alive.
“Because she’s a strong, independent woman, knows how to take care of herself and yeah, I just refuse to believe that she’s dead,” Boulding said.
Plea for Answers
“I just cannot believe that Jennifer would allow the people she loves to suffer like this because I can tell you, I’m suffering,” Johanne told Global News.
Johanne said there’s no evidence her sister is alive, and Jennifer hasn’t contacted her children, whom she loved “more than anything.”
“I hope I’m wrong, but every day that goes by, I think it looks less likely that I’m wrong,” said Johanne.
RCMP declined to comment, stating, “At this time, the only information available has been provided in prior media releases.”
The investigation is active and ongoing, police said, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact 100 Mile House RCMP.
“I know that there are people out there who know what happened to my sister and those people are in a position to do the right thing,” pleaded Johanne.
Boulding remains free and has not been charged with any crime.
