Missing couple's motorhome found on fire

[markopolo]

On your travels please be on the lookout for a missing couple.

News link: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story ... peaks.html

Download the poster here: http://www.essentials.ab.ca/Missingcouple.pdf Print a few copies and distribute it if you can. The poster has a photo of the couple, their motorhome and their SUV.

Text from the poster being distributed:

PLEASE HELP FIND
Missing Elderly Couple
Lyle & Marie McCann left St. Albert, AB on Saturday, July 3, 2010

They were planning to be in Abbotsford, BC on July 10, but did not arrive. Through the week of July 3
to July 10, they had planned a camping trip through the Yellowhead on their way to Abbotsford, BC.

The couple was last seen buying gas in St. Albert July 3.
Their motorhome was found in flames near Minnow Lake near Edson,Alberta July 5th.

Their SUV, a light green Hyundai Tucson with the licence plate ZPK 289, is still missing and RCMP say by now they expect it could be anywhere in Western Canada.

If you have any information that may be helpful in our search, please contact the St. Albert RCMP Detachment immediately at 780.458.4300 or Bret McCann at 780.233.9993

[VernM]

Good alert, Mark. I hope this turns out all right for the couple.

[Mike]

Seems the plot thickens, and the RCMP say they have a suspect or person of interest they
are looking for, who may be considered armed and dangerous, according to local news here
in Niagara.

[VernM]

I wondered about that, as an old newsman who sees something more in most everything. Please keep me in the loop, Mike, just 'cause I'd like to know how it plays out.

[Mike]

Here's the latest Vern. There is currently some controversy about the sequence of events that led
to the McCanns being declared missing persons. Even though the RV was found on fire, it appears
our cops didn't do much by way of immediate follow up. Seems they thought they just had a stolen,
torched, RV, and not a missing persons case, until the daughter reported them late a few days later.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada ... story.html

[Mike]

Latest update - suspect in custody.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story ... rrest.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le1644845/
I don't expect a happy ending in this one, unfortunately.

[markopolo]

The search continues.

Link: http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/Rumours ... story.html

[markopolo]

An update to this very sad case:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pol...718/story.html

RCMP are looking for a welder who put a towing hitch on an SUV belonging to Lyle and Marie McCann nearly six years ago

According to information released by the RCMP on Thursday morning, Lyle McCann once had a tow bar assembly mounted to his white, 1988 Dodge Ram 50 pickup truck. In 2006, after the McCanns bought a light green 2006 Hyundai Tucson SUV, the tow bar was taken off the pickup truck, modified, and then re-installed on the Tucson.

Because of the differences in the two vehicles, RCMP believe the two bar was altered by a welder or hitch company so it would fit the SUV.

He could not comment on what role the information may play in the investigation, except that it will help investigators strengthen one aspect of the case

Hopefully they'll find the guy who did the tow bar assembly work and the information he has will help solve this crime.

[Mike]

Any idea what the tow bar welder/installer might reveal?
Any ex-peace officers on here have any ideas?
I'm stumped.

[markopolo]

I've been wondering about that too Mike. Hopefully enough people are curious and this gets talked about and the guy that did the work hears about it and contacts the RCMP.

My guess would be that they have a fairly unique part in evidence and they need to tie that particular part to Lyle and Marie McCann's 2006 Hyundai Tucson.

[Mike]

Like they found a part of the hitch assembly, you mean? That fell off or was removed and found somewhere else?
Hmmmm, maybe. They need the person to tell them that it was part of what he/she installed or welded into it?
If they found a piece of metal or something that might have fit the hitch on the vehicle, it might place the vehicle
somewhere specifically, near the home or hangout of the suspect(s)?
Interesting theory.

[markopolo]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Or they have a part with a fingerprint on it or a suspect sold a part which the RCMP recovered.
Must be hard on the family not knowing what happened to the couple.

[markopolo]

Another article with similar detail and who to contact:
http://netnewsledger.com/2012/01/19/...lberta-couple/

[markopolo]

Maybe the police got what they needed.

The suspect has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... ml?cmp=rss