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Under the Bridge: What Is The True Story Behind Reena Virk And 1997's Mysterious Party?
Hulu’s latest miniseries Under the Bridge sheds light on the true story behind the disappearance of a 14-year-old teenager Reena Virk in 1997 that sent shockwaves throughout Canada.
Trigger Warning: This article contains gruesome details of murder and violence.
Reena Virk, a 14-year-old teenager went to a party on the evening of November 14, 1997, and did not return. The latest true-crime television miniseries, Under the Bridge, streaming on Hulu shows a dramatized version of the disappearance and murder of the girl under the Craigflower Bridge near Victoria, Canada. The show stars Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough, among others.
Starring Virtika Gupta as Virk, the series is based on Rebecca Godfrey’s 2005 book of the same name which consists of six years of investigation, attendance at the trials, and exclusive conversations with some of the teens charged with Virk's attack and death.
“The show did such a phenomenal job on really portraying how teenagers think. I’m a teen myself, and I think we all have our moments of not always fitting in. I think we’ve all walked into a room and felt different, and I think that portrayal was so important in the show, and was really well done,” said Gupta.
This article contains spoilers from the series. If you want to know the true story of who Virk was, her family, what happened on the night of her murder, and the convictions of the accused, read on.
Who Was Reena Virk?
Virk was the daughter of Manjit Virk, an immigrant from India, and Suman, a converted Jehovah's Witness from a Canadian-Indian family. They lived in Saanich near Victoria Falls, a picturesque island in Vancouver, Canada.
She had a difficult relationship with her parents. She would run away from home frequently and lived in a foster home after falsely accusing her father of sexual, physical, and mental abuse so that she could attain more freedom. However, Virk eventually dropped the charges and kept in touch with her parents who blamed the social services system for mishandling the case.
As per Godfrey’s book, Virk was a regular teenager who was a fan of East Coast hip-hop, loved wearing blue nail polish, and was rebellious. Desperate to fit in, she sometimes lied about her, parents, background, and lifestyle to her peers. She looked up to a group of troubled teenagers, especially Nicole Cook (portrayed by Josephine Bell), the leader of the group popular as the Shoreline Six.
Ahead of the evening of her murder, Virk was accused of stealing Cook’s phonebook and spreading rumors about Cook wearing colored contact lenses, having fake breasts, and AIDs to all her contacts.
What happened on the night of Reena Virk’s disappearance?
Virk was invited to a party under the Gorge Waterway bridge by one of the girls on the night of November 14. As per Godfrey’s book, 50 to 60 teenagers were hanging out on the field behind Shoreline School as they usually did on Friday nights. As police arrived and broke up the party, a group of teenagers moved beneath the Craigflower Bridge near Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. Virk and the Shoreline Six, consisting of Cook, Kelly Ellard, Warren Glowatski, Missy Pleich, Gail Ooms, Courtney Keith and Nicole Patterson, and another unnamed teenager, were among them.
![Virtika Gupta playing Reena Virk in Under The Bridge [Photo Credits- IMDb]](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-04/1713427260_1280-x-720-64.jpg "Virtika Gupta playing Reena Virk in Under The Bridge [Photo Credits- IMDb]")
Cook, who Virk met at the foster home, confronted Virk regarding the rumors. She claimed that Virk called her “bitch” and in return, she stubbed a burning cigarette on Virk’s forehead. Cook and Pleich said that as the latter and Cook’s best friend Ellard started hitting and kicking Virk, Glowatski and the other members of the group joined in as well.
However, Virk managed to run away to the other side of the bridge. But was soon chased down by Ellard and Glowatski who assaulted her again and drowned her in the Gorge Waterway under the bridge, as per court documents.
How Did The Truth of Reena Virk’s Murder Unfold?
Since Virk ran away from her foster home often, initially the investigation wasn’t seriously taken when she did not return on Friday Night. However, when she was still missing on Monday investigations began more vigorously and eight days later on November 22, Virk’s body was finally found.
According to an article Godfrey wrote for Vice in 2017, Virk’s injuries mirrored those of a victim of a car crash, and an autopsy revealed that she had been forced to drown because gravels were found in her lungs. "Multiple blows sustained in the abdominal area. A crush convulsion injury as often seen in car crash victims. Extensive bruising under the skin of her face. A bruise in the shape of a sneaker print is on the back of the brain. In Reena’s lungs, she found eighteen pebbles. The presence of so many small stones led to her conclusion that the girl had been alive when she was in the water," wrote Godfrey.
Who were the accused in Reena Virk’s murder and what happened to them?
As per Godfrey’s Vice article, while Ellardy claimed Cook to be the culprit, police found Virk’s jacket in Ellard’s closet with stains of saltwater which can be usually found in the water in Gorge. However, several other teenagers eventually told the police that Ellardy and Glowatski were the murderers and the latter confessed to the crime.
![A Still From Under The Bridge [Photo Credits- IMDb]](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-04/1713427318_1280-x-720-62.jpg "A Still From Under The Bridge [Photo Credits- IMDb]")
After being found guilty of second-degree murder in 1999, Glowatski was given a life sentence with the possibility of release after serving seven years, as per CBC News reports. He engaged in restorative justice programs, apologizing to Virk's parents in person during one of them, and he openly showed regret.
According to The Globe and Mail, Glowatski was given day parole in 2007 and full parole in 2010.
Similarly, Ellard was also convicted of second-degree murder in 2000 in an adult criminal court and after two trials and a mistrial, she began serving a prison sentence in 2005. She got pregnant inside the prison and was eventually granted day parole in 2017. However, she was denied a chance at full parole claiming she was "situationally ... not ready" for freedom.
All the other accused in the case– Cook, Pleisch, Ooms, Keith, and Patterson– pleaded guilty in the case but denied involvement in Virk’s killing.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with any kind of abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: Under the Bridge: Release Date, Where to Watch, Plot, Cast & More to Know
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