THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay police are repeating a call for information from the public in the intensive search for missing person Kacey Yellowhead.
The 25-year-old man originally from Eabametoong First Nation was last seen on Aug. 2.
The last confirmed sighting puts Yellowhead in the 800 block of Minnesota Street across from the Art Widnall Pool at about 9:20 p.m., walking toward Pacific Avenue.
At a press conference Thursday, police pointed to the impact of information received from the public so far.
“The continued support from the public who have located surveillance footage and have advanced the investigation, that leads to potential witnesses to be sought out to be spoken to,” said Det. Insp. Jeremy Pearson.
Police are appealing in particular to residents and business owners in the area Yellowhead was last seen, on Minnesota Street headed toward Pacific Avenue, but also more broadly across the East End, intercity area, and south core of the city, to check surveillance footage from the night of Aug. 2 for any sign of him.
Police also ask residents in those areas to check their property for indications of the missing person.
Investigators have uncovered no evidence so far of foul play in Yellowhead’s disappearance, Pearson said.
During the press conference, he also confirmed police are investigating unconfirmed reports of sightings of Yellowhead since Aug. 2, and that family members have located what were believed to be items of clothing belonging to him.
“We have had reports of sightings since that time,” he said. “However, we’ve been unable to firmly corroborate them.”
He said investigators continue to track down leads through interviews and other methods.
However, he acknowledged the investigation could falter without further information – one reason police continue to call for tips from the public.
That could determine whether further search efforts are undertaken, he indicated.
The Thunder Bay Police Service was on the second day of a search of the Neebing-McIntyre floodway Thursday, with assistance from the OPP, which provided an underwater search and recovery unit and a helicopter.
The search included both boats and dive teams, said Pearson, adding the TBPS has previously used drones and a canine unit in its search efforts.
“We’ll utilize every resource we can where we have reason to believe those resources can be well-deployed and have a chance of being productive,” he said.
He also recognized the role of a community search effort led by Yellowhead’s family.
“From the outset, there’s been a tremendous outpouring of support from the community,” he said. “Volunteers have worked exceptionally hard to assist with the search effort.”
Those efforts at one point turned up items of clothing believed to belong to Yellowhead, he said, but noted the items are not believed to match the clothing he was last seen wearing.
Yellowhead is described as an Indigenous male standing about 5’6” with a thin build, a medium complexion, shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, and a red mark on his right cheek.
He was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie with white draw strings, charcoal grey shorts, and white socks.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact police at (807) 684-1200 or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
