A man with special needs who was reported missing nearly two weeks ago has been found dead.
On Monday, July 5, Drayton Valley RCMP said Derek John Henningsmoen’s death has been deemed non-criminal.
The 65-year-old was last seen in the west-central Alberta town of Drayton Valley in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 22.
His niece Danicka Sluchinski said Henningsmoen had a mental illness and was disabled after suffering a series of strokes.
She said her uncle was a “very cool guy” who drove a Harley Davidson motorcycle and played drums in a band, but couldn’t speak clearly.
“He does not communicate well. He has issues speaking … but he is kind to the whole community,” she said.
“He’s not dangerous at all.”
Henningsmoen was known to Drayton Valley residents, his niece said, explaining he was known to wander around town.
“He tends to go to 7-Eleven, pick up a Slurpee, go to the dog park, and lots of people around town know who he is, because he’s been in this area for a very, very long time.”
His niece said he lived independently but health-care aides checked in on him every day. Drayton Valley RCMP said they were notified by caregivers that Henningsmoen had not returned home on June 21.
RCMP and the family said Henningsmoen was last seen wearing black or dark green sweatpants, a light grey T-shirt and black sweater.
“People went looking for him. They saw them throughout town missing a shoe. And then during the search, they found his jacket missing with his wallet and his keys in it. And then also during the search, we found both shoes,” Sluchinski said, adding later on, her uncle appeared to have lost his socks too.
RCMP initially said Henningsmoen was last seen last Monday afternoon near the Drayton Valley dog park, however, that last sighting was later changed to 2:50 a.m. Tuesday at the Petro Canada South gas station on the south side of town.
RCMP said officer, search and rescue, dogs and helicopters were involved in the search.
His niece originally said he was spotted on surveillance footage at the gas station, which is near Highway 22 — the main route through the community. She feared he may have been picked up by a stranger.
“What we believe at this point, that he was picked up at that truck stop and taken to another location, another town, another city.”
On June 29, RCMP issued an update on the case — the third since Henningsmoen vanished.
RCMP were looking for dash cam footage from in and around the Drayton Valley Petro-Pass truck stop (located at 2020 – 50 St. and Highway 22), recorded between June 21 at 11 p.m. and June 22 at 6 a.m.
While the family and RCMP were asking Drayton Valley and Brazeau-area residents to check their yards and outbuildings, people in other Alberta communities were also asked to keep an eye out for Henningsmoen.
The RCMP thanked the volunteers who searched for Henningsmoen. No further updates on the file will be provided, according to the RCMP.
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