A portrait of Denise De Landreville overlooks the stretch of Fraser Highway in Langley after a driver fatally struck the mother of three and then drove away last month.
As family and friends work through their grief, they hope the memorial can stir a different emotion: guilt.
“They need to turn themselves in so that they can sleep at night. How do you sleep at night?” asked Ashleigh Cooper, Denise’s childhood friend.
“Dealing with it, I think, the proper way, would free their soul.”
The Langley RCMP says it was called to the stretch of the highway between 232 and 240 streets shortly after 4:30 a.m. on May 16.
When they arrived, they found a pedestrian who had suffered injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle. Despite life-saving efforts, she died at the scene.
“Obviously, accidents happen, but to leave the scene and just leave someone there to die after hitting them, it’s just, the words, I can’t really describe that,” Cooper said.
She says going through their old photos and letters brought back a flood of warm memories.
“[De Landreville was] just a good person. She had a heart of gold, and had the biggest heart, and would do anything for anybody.”
Flowers dutifully tended to by family, friends, and those who live in the area speak to the impact of her loss.
Heather Maton, a close family friend, says police have told them that the suspect vehicle has been located, but the suspect themself is still at large.
The Langley RCMP wasn’t able to respond to a request for comment before deadline.
Maton says she hopes the community continues to amplify calls for accountability. She hopes that somebody can either help identify the driver or convince the driver themself to have the bravery to turn themself in.
“We understand that they’re probably scared,” Maton said.
“But the right thing to do would be to come forward so we can get closure and some justice.”
Anyone who witnessed the crash or was in the area at the time is asked to call the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 and refer to file number 2026-14967.