Hours after the McCann family announced a $60,000 reward yesterday for information about the disappearance of the missing couple, RCMP officers were searching a rural property near Nojack, the first major development in the case in weeks.
The RCMP released little information about the search, saying only that it was related to the case and it was expected to continue today.
Hours earlier, the McCann family gathered at city hall to announce the culmination of a fundraising drive they had organized over the last several weeks.
Bret McCann, the couple’s son emphasized Friday the reward will not grow any further and now is the time for anyone with information about the couple’s disappearance to come forward.
“The reward is capped at this point. There is going to be no increase so people shouldn’t be waiting for the reward to increase.”
He said the family hopes the sum is enough to pry loose the information needed to bring his parents home.
“We think this reward is significant and will motivate people to come forward with that critical piece of information.”
The McCanns have been missing since July 3.
The couple, who are in their 70s, left the city in a motorhome, bound for a vacation in B.C., but were reported missing July 10 when they failed to arrive in Abbotsford as scheduled.
Their motorhome had been found burned out several days earlier on July 5 near Edson and police unsuccessfully made an attempt to contact the couple.
Police found an SUV the couple was towing on July 16, also near Edson and identified a person of interest, Travis Edward Vader, who they arrested on July 19 on unrelated charges.
Vader, who remains behind bars, has since been labelled a suspect in the case, indicating he was likely involved in their disappearance. He has not been charged.
The reward fund quickly swelled with donations coming in from across the country, ranging from $25 donations to $10,000 contributions.
McCann said Friday the support his family has received has made the ordeal a little more tolerable.
“It gives us a lot of strength to carry on throughout this whole nightmare of a summer.”
Anyone with that information can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or the St. Albert RCMP at 780-458-7700.
