Ben Tyner was a 32-year-old ranch manager and professional cowboy who moved from Wyoming to Merritt, British Columbia, to run Nicola Ranch in late 2018. He was last seen on January 26, 2019, leaving the ranch on horseback—reportedly to check cattle in the surrounding hills. Two days later his saddled horse, Gunny, was found riderless and fully tacked on a logging road off Highway 97C near Winnie Flats; one rein was broken and the horse appeared nervous but uninjured.

Ben’s wallet, cellphone, and his dog Sioux were left at the ranch, and there was no indication he told anyone he was leaving. Extensive winter searches by RCMP, local search and rescue, air services, police dogs, and volunteers turned up no trace. By March 2019 police described the circumstances as suspicious, and on January 26, 2021, the RCMP said they believed he was likely the victim of homicide. No remains or publicly announced arrests have been reported. His family and the community continue to press for information; a reward was offered and later matched to encourage leads.

Did anyone see a rider or a saddled horse in the Highway 97C or Winnie Flats area around late January 2019, or does anyone have dash-cam footage from that stretch of road at the time?