Crime Salad: The Disappearance of Mekayla Bali

Episode: The Disappearance of Mekayla Bali: Secrets, Sightings, and Silence
Hosts: Ashley & Ricky
Date: October 18, 2025

Episode Overview

Ashley and Ricky explore one of Canada's most haunting unsolved missing persons cases: the 2016 disappearance of 16-year-old Mekayla Bali from Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Despite extensive investigation, hundreds of tips, and widespread community engagement, Mekayla’s whereabouts remain unknown nearly a decade later. This episode retraces her final day, delves into her state of mind, examines leading theories, and highlights the ongoing search for answers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene – Mekayla’s Last Day

• Timeline Overview:

  • April 12, 2016: Mekayla enters Sacred Heart High School in the morning, leaves after 10 minutes, and is seen at various businesses across town.
  • Final confirmed sighting: STC bus depot, between 1:00 and 1:45pm. She was calm on surveillance, then disappeared.

• Community & Family:

  • Mekayla described as "kind-hearted, bubbly... bright, curious and determined" (Ashley, 05:18).
  • She was independent, but typically a homebody.
  • Family and friends stunned; she left no clear indication of her intentions.

2. The Timeline and Early Investigation

• Day Before (April 11):

  • Normal teen activities: lunch with friends, talks of travel (Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon).
  • Mentions of online acquaintances, including "Josh" and "Christopher."
  • Texted for help, sounded unhappy, and wanted to visit Regina.

• Final Day Details:

  • Attempts to withdraw and transfer money, tried selling jewelry, asked strangers for hotel assistance.
  • Surveilled moving multiple times in and out of businesses; appeared nervous and anxious.
  • Rumored to have carried two phones; texted enigmatic requests like "I need your help," then "never mind."
  • Did not buy a bus ticket nor board a bus; phone turned off next morning.

3. Mekayla’s Online Life & Mental Health

• Mekayla active on multiple social media accounts, including private accounts and aliases.
• Posted about loneliness and depression. Example:
  • "Looking for Snapchat friends because I have none in real life. Add me, please don't be a greasy F and send me gross nudes. Just looking for a friend." (Ashley, 22:22)
• Had scars from self-harm; multiple references to struggles with mental health and familial unhappiness.

4. Investigative Leads & Theories

• Witnesses and Tips:

  • Sighting of an unidentified man with a distinctive tattoo at bus depot—later interviewed and cleared.
  • More than 1,000 tips over the years, including unconfirmed sightings as far as Scotland and Columbia.
  • A possible sighting in Edmonton (2019) renewed hope; she introduced herself as "Mekayla."

• Key Quotes:

  • "Her movements, her messages, the idea that she could have been lured online really isn't that far-fetched." (Ricky, 25:50)
  • "It's like the trail just evaporated." (Ricky, 30:13)
  • "She said their lives had been filled with a painful kind of silence. One that no family should ever have to live with." (Ashley, 43:19)

• Friends and Home Life:

  • Friends conflicted about her relationships and well-being, some dismissive or apathetic post-disappearance.
  • Possible troubled home life; suggestions she desired distance and a fresh start.

5. Community, Family, and The Toll of Not Knowing

• Mother, Paula, worked tirelessly: organizing searches, raising reward money ($100,000 by 2023), and campaigning for attention.
• Family suffered deep emotional fallout; holidays abandoned without closure.
• Paula expressed frustration at law enforcement's limited resources and infrequent updates:
  • "Sometimes in stories of missing people, the people we think should be the heroes sometimes become the villains." (Ashley, 42:21)
• RCMP acknowledge resource constraints due to volume of ongoing long-term cases.

6. Prevailing Theories

Ashley and Ricky break down the leading theories about Mekayla’s disappearance:

• Runaway:
  • Evidence: Moving around town, withdrawing cash, seeking hotel room.
  • Contradictions: Left behind essential belongings, no pattern/history of running away.
• Lured Online:
  • Evidence: Multiple social apps, untraceable calls, possible Kik messages, vulnerability to grooming.
• Human Trafficking:
  • Evidence: Immediate disappearance, gaps in timeline, alleged but unconfirmed sightings far afield.
• Foul Play:
  • Evidence: Sudden disappearance, rumors of overdose or homicide (none confirmed), suggestions of drug connections (unsubstantiated).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's eerie, right? And for all the cameras and witnesses, it's like she just stepped out of the frame and vanished before the world knew her name." – Ashley, 05:18

• "Her movements, her messages, the idea that she could have been lured online really isn't that far-fetched." – Ricky, 25:50

• "She said their lives had been filled with a painful kind of silence. One that no family should ever have to live with... Keep searching, hoping, and keeping her memory alive until the silence is broken by the sound of her return." – Ashley, 43:19

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Case Introduction & Surveillance Review: 01:44–05:18
• Mekayla’s Background & Personality: 05:18–06:46
• April 11–12 Timeline and Early Red Flags: 09:38–14:18
• Surveillance Movements & Day of Disappearance: 14:37–17:47
• Mental Health, Social Media, and Theories: 21:53–28:20
• Investigation Barriers & Cross-Border Search Efforts: 28:20–33:57
• Community Response, Family's Perspective & Ongoing Vigil: 34:11–43:19
• Online Discourse, Speculations, and Leading Theories: 44:59–50:01
• Theory Breakdown & Summary: 51:25–53:16

Final Thoughts

This case remains a stark and haunting mystery—there are more questions than answers, with each theory leaving gaps. The hosts emphasize the importance of continuing to share Mekayla’s story and keeping her memory alive in hopes that the right lead will one day resolve her family's agony. The episode closes with a plea for anyone with information to come forward, highlighting how even a single tip could make all the difference.

If you have any information about Mekayla Bali’s disappearance, check the episode’s description for contact details and consider sharing this story.