Winnipeg police have made an arrest in the disappearance of local man Eduardo Balaquit, and they are calling it a homicide.
The 59-year-old man was last seen on June 4, 2018, when he left home to go to his cleaning job at 380 Keewatin St.
He hasn’t been seen by family or friends since. His van was later found at that address, and was described at the time by his son Edward as having a smashed window and not parked in its usual spot.
Winnipeg police Const. Jay Murray told 680 CJOB last year that the Balaquit case remained open and that the police investigation was focusing on a blue Ford Escape SE that was reportedly in the area at the time of the disappearance and later seen in the Arborg, Man., area.
Arborg is an Interlake town about 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
The Balaquit family has never given up hope that Eduardo would be found.
“It’s been a long and difficult two years,” the family said in a statement last June.
“Our only wish is for our dad to walk through our doors and finally say, ‘I’m home.’ It’s never too late to do the right thing, if you have any information, please help us bring him home.”
Unfortunately, police now say Balaquit will not come home.
“Sadly, investigators have been unable to locate Eduardo’s remains. His family deserves closure,” said Sgt. Wade McDonald of the Homicide Unit Thursday.
“Detectives believe someone could provide insight into his whereabouts and are asking they contact the Homicide Unit to give the family some peace and closure.”
Police said “significant” resources have been used to investigate this crime, and Kyle Alexander James Pietz, 35, was arrested and will be charged with manslaughter.
He was arrested in Saskatoon on Tuesday, but McDonald said he was living in Winnipeg at the time of Balaquit’s disappearance.
“He was a former employee where Mr. Balaquit worked.”
McDonald would not go into further detail on why the warrant was issued for manslaughter or what the motive behind the homicide was.
Asked how he believed the family was doing, McDonald said the whole situation was tragic.
“His family was his number one priority,” said McDonald. “As a police service, I believe we need to provide the necessary supports to Eduardo’s family and the Filipino community at large.”
“He went to work that day, and he never came home.”