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On June 14, 1988, 25 year old Philip Innes Fraser left Anchorage, Alaska, driving his black 1983 Volkswagen Jetta toward Olympia, Washington. He planned to begin pre-medicine classes at Evergreen State College.
Along the way, he legally declared and surrendered two handguns at the Canada–US border on June 17. He told his family he would call from Vancouver, but that call never came. His disappearance joined the ranks of other unsolved mysteries on lonely highways.
About Philip Fraser and his background
Philip Fraser was a 25-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska. He was the son of two respected doctors and had plans to study pre-med at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.
Described as intelligent, soft-spoken, and responsible, Philip was passionate about learning and had a clear path ahead. His decision to drive alone through Canada was not unusual for someone as independent as he. What happened along the way turned his journey into an interesting case of Unsolved Mysteries.
A chance encounter at the roadside café
Early on June 18, Philip stopped at the Forty Mile Flat Café in northern British Columbia. Inside, café workers noticed a heavy-set man acting uneasy and talking to himself.
When Philip returned, he hesitated but then invited this stranger into his car for a ride south. Neither man knew this decision would have tragic consequences. This simple act of kindness became one of the most chilling chapters in Unsolved Mysteries about hitchhiker crimes.
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How a farmhouse stay deepened this unsolved mystery
About 200 miles down the highway, near Kitwanga, the hitchhiker asked for help at Eddie and Pauline Olson’s farm. He introduced himself as Philip Fraser, carried two wallets, and spoke urgently.
The Olsons let him stay overnight in their guest room and agreed to fix his car’s fan belt. Early the next morning, the man drove off in the Jetta, leaving the Olsons stunned when they later learned the real Philip Fraser was missing. The stranger’s odd manner and secretive talk made this farmhouse encounter another entry in the list of unsolved mysteries no one can fully explain.
Discovery of the burned car fuels the investigation
Twelve hours later, in Prince George's, about 300 miles south of Kitwanga, local workers found a burned-out Jetta at a car wash. The fire had destroyed everything inside, from Philip’s camping gear to personal papers.
No fingerprints or belongings remained. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) took over and opened a homicide investigation. This burned vehicle left police and true‑crime followers puzzled, adding a dramatic photo to the gallery of Unsolved Mysteries.
Finding Philip Fraser’s body six weeks later
On July 27, tourists spotted a body beside Highway 37A, roughly 70 miles north of the Olson farm. Dental records confirmed the remains were those of Philip Fraser.
He had been shot. Investigators concluded that Philip never reached Olympia and that the hitchhiker was likely his killer. His death remains one of the coldest and most haunting Mysteries in Canadian history.
Composite sketches of the main suspect as shown in Unsolved Mysteries
Using witness accounts, investigators created sketches of the stranger. He was described as a white man about 5′9″ tall, weighing 220–230 lb, with brown hair and bad teeth. He spoke slowly and seemed nervous.
Despite media coverage and reward offers, no one has yet identified him. These sketches are a key image in the ongoing investigation of the mystery.
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Links to other crimes and dead ends
Authorities examined possible connections to other cases of violence against hitchhikers in Canada and the United States. One lead involved Michael McGray, a convicted Canadian killer known to target hitchhikers, but no proof linked him to Fraser’s death.
Modern forensic tests on the burned vehicle produced no usable DNA or fingerprints. The lack of new leads keeps this story among the most perplexing Unsolved Mysteries on remote highways.
Unsolved Mysteries endure as the case remains open
As of June 2025, the RCMP file on Philip Fraser’s murder remains unsolved. Philip’s passport, credit cards, camping equipment and handguns have never reappeared. His parents waited years for answers.
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Dr. Robert Fraser died in 2014 without learning what happened to his son. Nearly 37 years later, Philip Fraser’s story remains a stark reminder of how a good deed on a quiet road can turn into one of the most enduring unsolved mysteries.
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