Crystal Castle’s step-mother remembers her as the ring leader of her 13 siblings.
“She was a caregiver to her soul,” Marci Marner said, and not just to other people, but also to animals.
“Her dad went to visit her grave the other day and there were prairie dogs all on it. She’s even trying to adopt from down there,” she laughed. “That’s so her.”
It’s been two years since Castle’s death, which RCMP are investigating as a homicide. No one has been charged.
She was last seen in a red Dodge truck near the Circle K convenience store on 28th Street East on Aug. 11, 2021. Two weeks later, on Aug. 25, police received a report of a body found near St. Louis.
Marner remembers receiving the call while she was shopping at a thrift store. Because she lives in Regina, police had asked her to stay an extra day because they believed the remains were Castle’s —they were right.
“I have a lot of disassociation with it,” said Marner about those memories.
It was especially hard having to tell her other children over the phone, since she didn’t want them to find out through the media.
“That was brutal.”
Last week, the RCMP renewed calls for information surrounding Castle’s death. Police remain in contact with the family as the investigation continues, reads the news release.
“To date, investigators have conducted numerous interviews, and gathered and processed evidence to develop a clear timeline of events. Investigators continue to follow-up on any information provided to them that may assist with determining what happened to Crystal, and why,” said the RCMP.
As the years pass, Marner said anger continues to consume her family.
“A couple of her siblings have had a few struggles with substance abuse or alcohol, not to the degree that they’ve needed any kind of rehab or anything, but just to the point that we’ve had to say, ‘hey, you guys, maybe it’s time to get some counselling.’”
That anger has gotten worse, she said, with recent harassment over social media sparked from her sharing a TikTok from an American crime blogger. Screenshots show comments of people saying she told the blogger lies and was spreading false information.
“It was a full revictimization, like full. Probably worse, honestly, like this anniversary was worse than the first one and I think that’s why,” she said.
But there’s also been some good moments.
Last weekend, Castle’s family came together for a memorial BBQ, which is what she would have wanted, said Marner. She also recently got the names of the people who found her body to send them a card.
Marner said multiple people were involved in Castle’s death. She said she’s hopeful police can lay charges pending the processing of evidence.
“There are people talking… That’s what the police have said – over time, people break up, people fall out, people stop caring about other people’s secrets, that they will often get information later when those things happen,” she said.
“(The case is) probably more active now than it’s ever been.”
And Marner encourages people to continue to come forward. Even if they think the information is simply gossip, it also might not be.
Her message for those responsible for her daughter’s death is simple: “They’re coming for you. They know who you are.”
Anyone with information on Castle’s case is asked to call their local RCMP or police jurisdiction. You can also submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
