Neil Stonechild: Deadly Saskatoon Starlight Tours

Neil Stonechild: Deadly Saskatoon Starlight Tours

The haunting death of a 17-year-old Saulteaux teen—and the chilling police practice still echoing across Canada

In 1990, Neil Stonechild—a 17-year-old Saulteaux First Nations teen—was last seen on a bitterly cold November night in Saskatoon. According to the chilling account later given by his best friend, Jason Roy, Neil was bleeding, handcuffed, and in the back of a police cruiser.

Five days later, Neil’s body was found frozen in a remote, snow-covered industrial field on the outskirts of the city. The official cause of death was ruled as hypothermia.

But the details surrounding Neil’s disappearance and death have raised disturbing questions for more than three decades. One of his shoes was missing. His wrists bore marks that appeared consistent with restraints. And despite overwhelming public outcry and a formal inquiry, no one has ever been criminally held accountable.

What Are Starlight Tours?

The practice is as horrifying as it sounds. Known as “Starlight Tours,” this refers to a pattern of police in Saskatchewan—and allegedly in other parts of Western Canada—picking up Indigenous men, often without formal charges, and abandoning them in isolated areas outside city limits in dangerously cold weather.

The goal? To intimidate, punish, or simply remove them from public view. In multiple documented cases, this practice proved deadly.

Neil Stonechild’s death is among the most well-known and haunting examples. His story—and the response to it—has come to symbolize a broader pattern of systemic racism, police abuse of power, and institutional failure to protect Indigenous lives in Canada.

A Decades-Delayed Search for Justice

At first, there was little momentum for a full investigation. The Saskatoon Police Service denied involvement. Initial reports brushed off the idea of foul play. But thanks to years of community pressure and Jason Roy’s revised testimony—stating he had witnessed Neil being taken by police that night—a public inquiry was finally launched over a decade later.

The inquiry confirmed that Constables Brad Senger and Larry Hartwig had likely picked up Neil that night, despite their denial. It noted that records were missing, logbooks had been altered, and search queries for both Jason Roy’s alias and Neil Stonechild had been entered into the Canadian Police Information Centre database minutes after the encounter. Still, no criminal charges were ever brought. The officers were dismissed—but that was the extent of their accountability.

The inquiry’s findings also confirmed that marks on Neil’s wrists and face could reasonably have been caused by handcuffs. But the report stopped short of declaring the death a homicide.

Why Neil’s Story Still Matters

Neil Stonechild’s case isn’t just about one night, one city, or two rogue officers. It’s about the generational trauma and systemic violence that Indigenous people in Canada continue to face. It’s about how easily marginalized voices are ignored, and how hard communities must fight for even a fraction of justice.

It’s also about memory. About telling Neil’s story and the stories of others like him—so they are never forgotten. 🕯️Say his name. Share his story.

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode:

👉 Neil Stonechild: Deadly Saskatoon Starlight Tours
Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your true crime fix.

📚 Related Links:

• CBC: Timeline of Neil Stonechild’s case
• Amnesty International – Starlight Tours
• National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)