Police aren’t giving up hope that Kevin Gilpin is alive.
The Chisasibi teenager went missing July 30 after he went to Radisson to celebrate his birthday with friends.
After a night of partying, he was separated from his companions.
Kevin, 19, was last seen the next day at noon at Radisson’s community centre and again at dinner time, when the same person saw him on the highway leaving town by foot.
After he remained missing for several days, Radisson police mounted an extensive search effort.
They interviewed friends, scoured the road out of town and LG-2, placed ads in newspapers in Val d’Or and Montreal, and sent a flyer to every police station in Quebec.
Kevin’s friends searched the river by canoe.
“We did a lot of work, a lot of work, but we found nothing,” said SQ Sgt. Richard Langlois.
“It’s mysterious. We don’t know what happened.” Langlois said he has reason to believe Kevin may not have met with foulplay and may simply have run away, but he would not elaborate. “We still hope he’s alive.” But, he added, Kevin’s bank account hasn’t been touched since he went missing.
Last month, a Chisasibi resident got a call from someone claiming to be Kevin, saying he was alive and in Montreal.
Two weeks ago, Chisasibi police received a similar call.
“We hope it’s true,” said Langlois. “But it could have been a joke.” Constable Robert Shem of the Chisasibi police said Kevin’s relatives “are frustrated.” Shem said the caller was Cree, but no one could verify if it was indeed Kevin. The call could not be traced.
“We don’t know who called. Maybe someone made a prank call,” he said. “We’re still looking for him.” Kevin’s mother, Lucy Gilpin, was out of town and couldn’t be reached.
