Justice for the Women of Salmon Valley
It's time to let them rest in peace
On May 5, 2025, human remains were discovered on a rural property in Salmon Arm, B.C. and later identified as Nicole Bell, a Caucasian mother of three from the area. Nicole is one of four women who went missing between 2016 and 2017: Traci Genereaux, Ashley Simpson, Caitlin Potts and Deanna Wertz. Nicole was 31 at the time of her disappearance.
The drums are beating once again in the Okanagan and the spirits of the dead are screaming for the system to finally do right by them, and give them justice once and for all. Their voices will not be silenced; they echo through the valleys, along the pristine lakes and streams, and through the mountain passages.
Do something, they cry. Haven’t enough women and girls — some still alive and nursing emotional and physical wounds, some silenced for good — suffered at the hands of men with murderous eyes, and evil intent?
Despite the assurances from police who say there is nothing to fear, community members continue to feel the chill on their backs, trying to keep their women and girls close and away from the killers and destroyers of women who still lurk in this community. The bogeyman is dead, the cops, say, nothing more to see.
And yet, in the middle of a chilling press release, one can even see the police distrust their own words. This continues to be an open investigation as “additional parties to the offence have not yet been ruled out”.
Say what?
How can a community feel safe if the police admit that there could be people walking around town who hold the keys to these senseless crimes? Does the man standing in line at the grocery store know what happened to Nicole or Traci?
One thing everybody knows. It’s the name of one man.
Curtis Sagmoen.
Curtis Sagmoen was a farmer who lived not far from Ashley Simpson and Deanna Wertz. He has officially been known to police since he was 23 and has been charged with numerous crimes against women, and for firearms offences. (See timeline below)
His was a classic case of catch and release.
He did jail time but the system kept letting him out, over and over again. While not named by police, the release makes clear who they are talking about when they name a serial suspect.
To the relief of the community, Curtis Sagmoen is a man who no longer walks among the people of Salmon Arm, not because he’s in jail but because of his own misadventure. He died in April, probably from a drug overdose.
Still, the ghosts of Salmon Valley are not satisfied. They demand justice not just for themselves but for girls growing up in the area. Ashley died because her boyfriend strangled her — without any regard for her, or her family. She died a violent death as did Traci and Nicole, at the hands of men who were bred to be violent, wily creatures who knew how to play the system. We still don’t know what happened to Caitlan, though it is rumored she knew Curtis. We still don’t know about Deanna, either. Maybe we will never know, but I pray to God that the ghosts of the valley will point police to their final resting places.
What we do know for sure is that the drums will continue to beat, and the voices will continue to rise, until they find justice. Only then can they rest in peace and only then will the community be safe.
Timeline (courtesy of Battered Women Support Services)
2013: Sagmoen assaults a woman with a hammer in Maple Ridge
May 2017: Traci Genereaux vanishes from the Syilx territory in Vernon BC.
July 19, 2017: Sagmoen uses a homemade spike belt to damage the tires of a woman’s vehicle.
August 10, 2017: Sagmoen assaults a woman using an all-terrain vehicle (ATV).
The victim, a sex worker whose identity is protected by a publication ban, was attacked by Sagmoen. The victim had gone to Sagmoen’s property to provide her services however, when he failed to pay, she attempted to leave the property.
With her back turned, Sagmoen hit the victim with his ATV causing her to flip over the vehicle.
The victim suffered a broken tail bone, concussion, and multiple other injuries, including long-term emotional trauma.
August 27, 2017: Sagmoen threatens a woman at gun point.
Sagmoen had contacted the victim, a sex worker, and told her to meet him at a location south of Salmon Arm BC.
The victim had been instructed by Sagmoen to drive down a rural road to an address. At trial, the Court heard how Sagmoen then ambushed the victim, pointing a firearm through the driver’s side window of the victim’s car.
Attempting to drive away, the victim crashed her car and was forced to flee on foot.
The police investigation found a shotgun slug lodged in the victim’s front driver side tire, as well as multiple shotgun shells in Sagmoen’s truck.
October 20, 2017: Sagmoen is arrested and charged with 7 offences in relation to the August 27, 2017 incident:
Reckless discharge of a firearm s.244.2
Uttering threats s.264.1
Using a firearm in the commission of an offence s.85
Having his face masked with intent to commit an offence s.351(2)
Pointing a firearm s.87
Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose s.88
Careless use of a firearm s.86
October 21, 2017: Vernon RCMP Southeast District Major Crimes Unit begins searching the Sagmoen family farm.
RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk says that he cannot confirm why officers had a search warrant for the property, except that it was in relation to a criminal investigation.
The basis for the search warrant remains unclear.
The investigation found human remains.
November 1, 2017: RCMP confirms that human remains found on Sagmoen’s farm are those of Traci Genereaux.
The death is considered suspicious by police, however Sagmoen is not named a suspect – no charges have been made in relation to the teenager’s death.
Police have not released any cause of death.
November 2018: Sagmoen’s bail application denied, he remained in custody until trial.
December 2018: Sagmoen receives absolute discharge in relation to mischief charges.
Sagmoen had originally been charged with mischief under $5000 in relation to the spike belt incident on July 19, 2017.
Following a joint submission from Crown counsel and defence lawyers, a judge agreed to discharge Sagmoen’s record.
Despite Sagmoen’s guilty plea of mischief to property, no conviction will be entered onto his record.
February 2019: Sagmoen is convicted of assaulting a woman in Maple Ridge in 2013.
Sagmoen entered a guilty plea in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court for the lesser offence of assault, having originally been charged with assault causing bodily harm.
Sagmoen was sentenced to 30 days in jail, time he had already served, and 24 months of probation.
December 2019: Sagmoen is found guilty of offences related to the August 27, 2017 incident.
A BC Supreme Court Judge found Sagmoen guilty of wearing a mask with intent to commit an indictable offence, and the use of a firearm in an indictable offence.
The Judge held there was not enough evidence to find Sagmoen guilty of knowingly threatening to cause death or bodily harm.
Sagmoen was sentenced to 2 years less a day in jail to allow for probation.
Having already been in custody for two years and two months without a sentence by the time this sentence was handed down, Sagmoen had already served his time for these offences.
Sagmoen was also sentenced to 36 months of probation with conditions, including no contact with sex workers; a ban on internet use for escort sites; a ban on ownership, and relinquishment, of his firearms to RCMP.
February 2020: Sagmoen is convicted of assault causing bodily harm in relation to the August 10, 2017 incident.
June 2020: Sagmoen is sentenced to 5 months in jail and 3 years of probation following the February conviction.
The probation includes a ten-year firearm ban, a no contact with sex workers order, and limitation on Sagmoen’s use of the internet and phone.
October 21, 2020: Vernon North Okanagan RCMP asks all sex workers not to respond to requests for services in the Salmon River Road area.
RCMP released a photograph of Sagmoen, along with the warning which was made “in the interest of safety.”
RCMP said it made the release “to inform persons who are protected by the court-ordered condition, so that they can take steps to protect themselves.”
April 11, 2022: RCMP renew the warning to sex workers.
April 26, 2022: Sagmoen breached his probation order by possessing drugs, using a mobile communication device, and communicating with a sex worker. Sagmoen was arrested and released from custody on April 27.
April 28, 2022: Sagmoen was stopped by an officer in Vernon. A search revealed another, probation order defying, mobile phone. Sagmoen was arrested again and held in custody until May 2022 when he was released on bail.
June 27, 2023: Sagmoen pleads guilty to breaching four of the probation conditions imposed on him following the August 10, 2017 assault.
December 13, 2023: Sagmoen was sentenced to 60 days in custody following conviction for two breaches of his probation order.
Provincial court Judge Hewson stated the issue with sentencing was about balancing “rehabilitation with the principles of deterrence and denunciation.”
April 10, 2024: the court granted Sagmoen’s application to vary certain terms of his probation order. The changes allow Sagmoen to contact various professionals and for his probation officer to give permission for him to deal with certain legal proceedings.
However, access to this information through Court Services Online is limited due to an outstanding publication ban ordered on May 4, 2022.
April 18, 2024: following an incident in Kamloops, Sagmoen is charged with two counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition contrary to an order.
Sagmoen is not being held in custody.
Sagmoen’s next court appearance for this matter was scheduled for June 6, 2024.
April 8, 2025: Sagmoen dies in a seedy motel. Foul play is not suspected.
May 5, The human remains of Nicole Bell are discovered in Salmon Arm by drifters who report their finding to police.