After 25 years, family offers $50,000 reward to solve mystery of North Vancouver couple's disappearance

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      On the 25th anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of a North Vancouver couple, the family members of that couple are offering a new reward for help in cracking this cold case.

      Nick Masée Jr. and Tanya Masée Van Ravenzwaaij are renewing a call for help to solve the mystery of what happened to their father and his wife. In the hopes of generating new leads, they announced today that they are offering a $50,000 reward for information.

      Their father, Nick Masée Sr., and his wife, Lisa Masée, were last seen in 1994.

      On August 10, 1994, Nick, a then 55-year-old retired banker, and Lisa, who was a 39-year-old hairdresser at the time, were scheduled to meet with a millionaire investor at Trader Vic’s restaurant, which was located at the Bayshore Inn in Coal Harbour. (The restaurant later closed down, in 1996).

      According to a 2014 article from CBC News, they had declined an invitation from friends to watch the Symphony of Fire fireworks (now known as the Celebration of Light) at English Bay that was set to take place that same evening.

      RCMP stated that the meeting at Trader Vic's never took place, and CBC News reported that no one cancelled or showed up for the restaurant reservation.

      On August 11, 1994, Lisa made two calls from her husband’s cellphone to say they’d be away for a few days, according to the CBC.

      According to a North Vancouver RCMP news release, that was also the last day they were seen, though RCMP did not specify where.

      Police were concerned about zap straps (or zip ties) that were discovered in their home. CBC News reported that the zap straps were found near their front door, and that their passports were left at home while their bank accounts remained untouched.

      Investigators also found that the couple had taken a secret trip to the Cayman Islands in April 1994.

      Lisa Masée and Nick Masée Sr.
      North Vancouver RCMP

      North Vancouver RCMP stated in a news release today (July 30) that details that have been uncovered since their disappearance have led to more questions than answers.

      "The evidence surrounding the disappearance of Nick Masée Sr. and Lisa Masée was never quite sufficient to lead us to say conclusively that they vanished because they were victims of a crime," North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Peter DeVries stated in a news release. "The circumstances were mysterious. Some of the details were concerning. But the facts did not allow us to determine conclusively if they had been kidnapped, or murdered, or the victims of some other crime."

      Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, DeVries added that investigators do believe the couple became victims of crime.

      "Based on a consideration of the length of time that has passed, on our inability to uncover any evidence verifying the Masée’s are still alive, and in light of the concerning circumstances surrounding their disappearance, we are affirming our position in this case,” DeVries stated. “We presume Nick Masée Sr. and Lisa Masée to be deceased, and that their deaths were the result of a criminal act."

      Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact North Vancouver RCMP.

      Lisa Masée and Nick Masée Sr.
      North Vancouver RCMP
      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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