Photos courtesy Missing-Danny Gaulton $100,000.00 Reward For Information Facebook page

By Erika Rolling

Historical Case

$100,000 reward for tips leading to missing man’s whereabouts on 25th anniversary of disappearance

Nov 24, 2022 | 12:16 PM

On November 24, 1997, 26-year-old Danny Gaulton was last seen at the now-demolished Park Hotel in Grande Prairie.

It has now been 25 years since anyone has heard from him or the location of his whereabouts.

Danny’s family has been pleading for answers on where he is or what happened to him since the day of his disappearance.

The family has put out a private $100,000 reward for information leading to where Danny is, as well as his 1985 gold Chrysler Lebaron, which has also never been found.

Danny was originally from Labrador City and moved to Grande Prairie in 1997 to be a Corrections Officer, and was only in the city for five months prior to going missing.

Plan Ahead

Why Would You Pre-Plan Your Funeral?

Apr 03, 2024

Dying away from home

What Happens if You Die Away From Home?

Mar 04, 2024

Flag Retiring Ceremony

What Do You Do With Worn-Out Flags?

Feb 01, 2024

His youngest sister, Valerie Champion remembers Danny as fun-loving, kind, and having a great sense of humor. Champion was 15 when her brother disappeared.

“It’s been a long time. We’ve faced 25 of these days and it’s a nightmare. It’s an absolute nightmare that we have to face daily, especially this time of year. I think we have a lot of grief, sadness, anger… I mean you kinda just go through a rollercoaster of emotions about the entire situation,” she says.

His family’s end goal is to find his remains following recent revelations after working with Whereabouts Unknown.

“We very quickly started to get a lot of information. A lot of people came forward. Witnesses that were actually at the Park Hotel that night, which is where an altercation took place between my brother and some other people.”

Champion says through working with the investigative service, they were able to establish a timeline of what had happened the night of Danny’s disappearance and the people involved with the situation.

“It turned things around for us… we have some concrete things to go on now,” Champion says.

She says being in contact with the RCMP over the years, they are now investigating Danny’s case as a homicide and not a missing person.

“Since we have all this information… I think it’s painted a pretty clear picture that a death did take place.”

Danny would be 51 years old today, Champion says she just wants her brother to come home after a quarter century of unanswered questions.

“Our end goal is definitely to find his remains and bring him home and lay him to rest. Without that… we cannot move on from this, it’s something that we need to do and accomplish.”

The Facebook page Missing-Danny Gaulton $100,000.00 Reward For Information is run by Champion.

“We’d like to not see year 26 if at all possible,” she concludes.

SEE MORE: Family of missing man seeking closure on 24th anniversary of disappearance in Grande Prairie