Service held for Calgary shooting victim as family continues search for young man’s body

A funeral service was held Saturday for a Calgary man who was shot to death nearly two years ago whose remains have never been found.

Shane Smith, who was 20 when he died in 2020, grew up in Chestermere. He had a passion for BMX biking and animals. His sister describes him as dependable and loyal with a giving heart.

“I definitely have a lot of really good memories from our childhood,” said Cassandra Smith on Saturday.

“There is no way in the world I should be having to attend my brothers funeral today,”

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On Saturday, Cassandra spoke at her little brother’s funeral. Shane died from a gunshot wound on the night of June 6, 2020.

“It’s hard not knowing, and of course we wanted to wait for him to be found to have a service, but eventually we had to say, ‘We have to do what we have to do,’ to at least give him the dignity he deserved,” Cassandra said.

According to an agreed statement of facts, 24-year-old Ian Abercrombie shot Shane in a southeast Calgary garage. Abercrombie did not know that the gun he was holding was loaded when he pointed it at Shane and pulled the trigger.

With the help of two other men, Abercrombie moved Shane’s body. It’s believed they put it in the Bow River at the south end of Calgary.

Cassandra said her feelings haven’t changed about the men who tried to cover up what happened to her brother.

“It’s frustrating. I definitely wish people would’ve done more of the right things in the beginning and things would probably be different today,” Cassandra said.

“The constant searching was really hard — and we will still be doing it,” Cassandra said.

Friends, family and volunteers have spent countless hours searching the Bow River since Shane’s death.

0:37 Family of Shane Smith holds fundraiser to help continue the search for missing Calgarian

Cassandra hopes that Saturday’s funeral service will offer the respect and the dignity Shane wasn’t given when he passed away.

“I want people to remember how good of a friend he was, how good to his family he was — just to remember how good of a person he was.  He was extremely loved. I will do my best to show him how much I love him today as I’m sure so many others will,” Cassandra said.

Abercrombie was sentenced to six-and-half years on charges of criminal negligence causing death and indignity to a human body.

Andrew Leger-Wagner and Andrew Thomas Bablitz were charged by Calgary police with indignity to a human body.