Editor’s note: An earlier version of the story incorrectly represented evidence gathered at the scene. It has been updated to reflect that no usable fingerprints were developed from the evidence. Global News regrets the error.
It’s been over nine months now since an Alberta man went missing, and with the COVID-19 pandemic also dragging on, Marshal Iwaasa’s family is selling masks as a way of continuing to raise awareness about his disappearance to help pay for costs associated with the effort to find him.
Iwaasa was 26 when he was last seen in Lethbridge on Nov. 17, 2019. His burned-out truck was found in the backcountry near Pemberton, B.C. a week later.
Paige Fogen, Iwaasa’s sister, said the masks say “Find Marshal Iwaasa” on them and are being sold for $10 each.
The masks come in red or black and also have adjustable ear straps on them.
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The family says it is grateful to a business called Sewing Lane for its generous donation of sewing supplies.
So far, the family has sold around 200 masks, with many of the purchases being local. Fogen said it makes the family happy to see so much ongoing local support for her brother’s case.
She said the money raised by selling masks will go towards helping fund the family’s private investigative team and other search efforts.
The family recently launched a petition asking police to upgrade Iwaasa’s case to a criminal investigation from a normal missing person’s case, so that more resources can be utilized by police to help find him.
The petition calls for items found in relation to the case to be tested for DNA. Lethbridge police say fingerprinting has been conducted, but no usable prints were found.
Further, the petition calls for a fire investigation report to be completed and given to Lethbridge police after Iwaasa’s torched truck was found last year.
The family also wants more collaboration between Lethbridge police and the private investigators the family hired to work on Iwaasa’s case.
Lethbridge police have said there is no evidence anyone other than Iwaasa was with the vehicle when it was burned.
The petition has garnered more than 5,000 signatures and the family says they are now aiming to get 10,000 signatures.
Anyone interested in supporting the cause can head to the Find Marshal Iwaasa Facebook page to fill out a form.
–With files from Global News’ Quinn Campbell
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