Dozens of police officers continue to search for Nathan O’Brien and Alvin and Kathy Liknes and are now sifting through trash at a second Calgary landfill for evidence.
On Thursday, search teams started going through a section of the East Calgary Landfill, off of 68 Street S.E. , looking for anything that may be relevant to the investigation.
"In this particular incident, shortly after the disappearance was reported, we made contact with the three landfill sites in Calgary and we asked that all refuse from the Calgary and surrounding area that goes to those three landfill sites be segregated off," said Kevin Brookwell of the Calgary Police Service.
Seven officers worked in plus 30 degree temperatures in a fenced-off area about the size of a football field at the Spyhill Landfill on Wednesday and located a few items that were sent for further examination.
Officials say the searches are a routine part of the investigation and no specific information led them to search there.
They add that there are dozens of investigators working behind the scenes, analyzing evidence and following up on tips.
"There have been items that have been taken from the landfill site but we don’t know if there’s any relevance to the file or not," said Brookwell. "They’re just looking for anything suspicious.
Police also remain at the Garland farm near Airdrie and officers are going door-to-door asking residents in the area to check their properties for anything unusual. They are also asking businesses to do the same.
"We still hold that property and will hold it indefinitely as more information or tips come in, there may be things that we need to go back and look at so at this point the house has been thoroughly searched. Our forensic teams have been in there but we are not releasing the property at this point."
Investigators say they have seized some items there and at the Liknes home in Calgary and have sent them for forensic testing.
"It's almost a constant process daily of things that we are sending up to the crime lab. Still working closely with the crime lab who are expediting the work that they are doing on these items and items are still coming back, nothing that we can report on yet," said Brookwell.
Meanwhile, a ‘person of interest’ in the case, Douglas Garland, is still in police custody but could be released on bail on Friday. He is charged with two counts related to identity theft and possession of a stolen credit card.
"I understand that there are some conditions that the courts are requiring as to whether or not he is released. If he is released, he still remains a person of interest in this investigation but he’s not been formally charged," said Brookwell.
Brookwell says he can't get into specifics about their interest in Garland but says they are looking into a business connection between him and Alvin Liknes.
"There is some business issues that we are looking into. I can't get into specifics about what those are, who was involved, what they look like or how many people were involved but yes, we have investigators looking into those allegations that there was some business issues and we're dedicating a number of folks checking into that," said Brookwell.
Police say as far as they know Garland is not facing any other charges at this time.
