The family of a woman who disappeared from Vancouver's lower eastside say investigators have recovered her DNA from a farm partly owned by accused serial killer Robert Pickton.

Rick Frey says members of the Missing Women's Task Force told him last week that his daughter's DNA had been found.

Marnie Frey's Campbell River family launched an earnest search to find her after she went missing in August, 1997.

Rick's wife, Lynn Frey, told the Vancouver Police Department about the farm several years ago, after hearing about the property during one of the many trips she made from their home on Vancouver Island to the mainland.

Robert Pickton faces 15 first-degree murder counts in connection with the B.C. missing women case. The list dates back to 1978 and includes the names of 63 women.

The families of Sarah deVries and Angela Jardine also say they have been told the DNA of their loved ones was been found during the Pickton investigation. No murder charges have been laid in either case.

"On October 3rd, 2002 we were notified by the Missing Women's Task Force that our daughter's DNA was confirmed and found at the Pickton property in Port Coquitlam, B.C.," Deborah Jardine says at a website documenting the plight of her family.

"The (police) strongly believe our daughter Angela Jardine is a victim. Her case is still an active investigation. We hope pray we will have justice in behalf of Angela."

A candle light vigil will be held early Sunday evening at Crab Park in Vancouver to honour Angela Jardine and the other missing women. Each participant is being asked to bring a flower to pay tribute.

Earlier this week, Pickton made a court appearance as a judge ordered his preliminary hearing to begin on Dec. 2. Media issues are likely to be dealt with in the early days of the hearing.

Some U.S. media outlets have threatened to bypass any publication ban that would prevent members of the Canadian media from report on evidence at the preliminary hearing. But The Associated Press said it is taking a wait-and-see approach.

"We have talked about this case with attorneys in Canada, including counsel for Canadian Press, and it is not our intention to do anything that would provoke a confrontation with the trial court," David Tomlin, assistant to the AP vice-president in New York, said.

"Beyond that, we're waiting until the hearing on Dec. 2 to see precisely what sort of publication ban issues from the court."

Meanwhile, it appears the prosecution is having difficulty with a witness. The Vancouver Province reports that Dinah Taylor has been offered cash, restaurant meals, a cellphone, and access to drug treatment by RCMP but has yet to offer her full co-operation.

Taylor lived with Pickton for 18 months. Prior to moving in with him she stayed at the Roosevelt hotel on Hastings Street where several of the missing women once live.

Dawn Crey and Andrea Joesbury were two of those women and they once socialized with Taylor.

A series of reports suggest Taylor invited women from the eastside out to the farm after she moved out. Crey was reported missing in November 2000 following a lull in the disappearances. Joesbury disappeared in June 2001 and Pickton has been charged with her murder.

Dawn's brother Ernie Crey says he will be attending Pickton's preliminary hearing even though it will likely mean hearing some grisly details.

"I'm prepared to do that because of the memory of these women and also because I expect that some time in the near future the police will have information for me and my family about the disappearance of my sister," Crey recently said.

With files from The Canadian Press.