Honoured for helping solve a near 30-year-0ld mystery of missing woman near Revelstoke

A young man was awarded a rare honour by the Revelstoke RCMP for his contribution to unravelling the mystery of an almost three-decade-old cold case.

On July 21, Max Werenka received a commendation for his involvement in locating a submerged vehicle in Griffin Lake in August of 2019 and was integral in the closing of a 27-year-old case file involving a missing woman from Vancouver Island.

In 2019, guests of the Griffin Lake Cabins, which his family owns, spotted a car at the bottom of the lake on a clear day.

Werenka, only 13 years old at the time, dove below the surface and took a video of the car with his GoPro in hand.

Having made this discovery, the RCMP deployed their Underwater Recovery Team, who were able to recover the vehicle’s license plate and locate the woman’s body inside.

The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team removed the vehicle from the lake on Aug. 24. (RCMP photo)

Werenka’s actions helped bring closure to the family of the missing woman.

Sgt. Chris Dodds asked the young man if he had any plans of becoming a police officer, which brought a smile to his face.

“His actions and dedication to duty bring credit to himself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of a Canadian citizen,” reads Werenka’s commendation.