Mother of three disappeared after going for night walk in 2002

Almost eight years ago, Rhonda Wilson — a petite, black-haired, mother of three — left her North Kentville home on a hot summer night to go for a walk.

She’s never been seen since.

Now, RCMP hope that a reward of up to $150,000 might finally solve the mystery of what happened to the 31-year-old whose boyfriend reported her missing Aug. 10, 2002, three days after he said he last saw her.

“Our whole goal is to bring attention to this file, to say it’s still unsolved and to solicit the public’s help in generating tips and information that may help solve this crime,” said RCMP Sgt. Brigdit Leger.

“In the event there’s anyone out there who has any information who may not have come forward yet, we’re hoping that with this coming to the forefront again . . . maybe they’re at a different place in their life where they will share that information.”

Investigators say Wilson’s boyfriend told police Wilson left her Mee Road home to go for a walk at about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 7.

At the time, Wilson was said to be carrying a purse with only a small amount of cash. Her bank accounts have never been touched.

“This investigation has been open the entire time,” Leger said. “Throughout the years, we’ve received various tips from the public. All these tips were followed up and absolutely exhausted.”

While there were reported sightings of the missing woman, “they’ve all been explored and nothing has been confirmed or verified,” Leger said.

Leger said the police continue to treat the investigation as a missing person’s case.

In the years following Wilson’s disappearance, her father, Ronald Corbin, continued to search the area, fearing his daughter had been murdered. He told The Chronicle Herald he didn’t believe that she would have left her close-knit family, including her children, who ranged in age from three to 10 years when their mother vanished.

No one from Wilson’s family could be reached Friday for comment.

Wilson’s disappearance is the 59th case to be included in the province’s Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program.

Begun in 2006, the program offers cash for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the crimes.

“We urge anyone with any information related to Ms. Wilson’s disappearance to please come forward,” Justice Minister Ross Landry said in a news release.

“We all share a responsibility in terms of building safe communities and no information is too trivial.”

Wilson is described as four-foot-nine and 100 pounds, with shoulder-length straight black hair and hazel eyes.

At the time of her disappearance, she reportedly was wearing dark blue jeans with gold zippers on the pockets, a jean jacket with an embroidered emblem and black, high-heeled sandals.

Anyone with any information can call the Justice Department toll-free at 1-888-710-9090.

More information on this case and the other cases in the program can be found on the department’s website, www.gov.ns.ca/just.