The Manitoba Métis Federation has unveiled a billboard seeking information into the case of Marcus McKay, who vanished on a hunting trip near Mallard, Man. 23 years ago.
His spirit names are North Wind Man and Two Feathers. He was just eight when he went missing.
“Having no answers about what happened to Marcus continues to hurt the family and our community,” said Frances Chartrand, vice-president of the MMF’s Northwest Region.
“Communicating this reward and prominently displaying Marcus’ face near the place he was last seen reminds everyone that we have not forgotten him, and we have not forgotten the family’s pain.”
The area in which he was last seen is 330 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg, densely wooded and marshy.
Investigators were told the eight-year-old was left with a deer that was shot, while the mother’s boyfriend went to get someone to help with the animal. When he returned, it was said, the boy was gone.
Volunteers along with police and the military searched for weeks and found no sign of the child.
“Anytime somebody talks about Markus, my heart is broken because it’s been a long time,” his grandma Pearl Dumas told Global News.
His family hopes cash will turn the heat up on this cold case.
“You never know — someone might know something,” Dumas said.
RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine says the file has never been closed.
“The investigation into the disappearance of Marcus McKay is ongoing, and (investigators) are dedicated to finding out what happened to him,” Courchaine said.
“Every tip is investigated and if anyone has information on Marcus, they are asked to call and report it to police.”
In March of 2021, the Métis federation announced a $1-million fund to help families find missing and murdered loved ones. Called Pey Key Way Ta Hin/Bring Me Home, the fund provides individual $10,000 rewards for information that leads to locating missing loved ones.
Anyone who has information that would be useful to the investigation into McKay’s disappearance should contact the RCMP in their area.