Calgary police say the body found in a rural area outside of the city on Tuesday is believed to be that of a missing Saskatchewan man.
Sheldon Wolf was staying at the Sandman Hotel in the 800 block of 7 Avenue Southeast during a visit to Calgary from Carrot River.
The 47-year-old was seen leaving the hotel at around 7 p.m. on Sunday but hadn’t been heard from since, prompting the Calgary Police Service (CPS) to issue a public plea for help as they searched for him.
On Wednesday, CPS revealed evidence connected to Wolf’s disappearance had been discovered in Elliston Park the day before, which led to a search of the area.
A body tentatively identified as Wolf’s was then discovered in a rural area near Airdrie, Alta., in the mid-afternoon.
Speaking with Global News on Wednesday afternoon, Sheldon’s father Barry Wolf said it was a shock and “so sad” to hear of his son’s death.
He described Sheldon as “a great guy with a big, big heart.”
Sheldon was a father of two sons — who are 17 and 18 years old. Barry said his son was in the city with his wife, Jessel, but he didn’t know why they were in Calgary.
According to police, the death is considered suspicious and is currently being investigated by both the CPS homicide unit and RCMP.
“We are determined to get to the bottom of what happened to Mr. Wolf,” Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta said. “No visitor should ever have to come to our city and be concerned about their safety.
“At this time, we believe he willingly met with individuals who he had no previous relationship with prior to coming to Calgary.”
An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, at which time police will be able to formally identify the remains and determine the cause of death.
— With files from Global News’ Gil Tucker