Calgary police continue to search for signs of Alvin and Kathy Liknes and their grandson, five-year-old Nathan O’Brien, following their disappearance from the couple’s Parkhill home in late June.
Officers continue to search the Liknes residence, the Spyhill landfill and an acreage northeast of Airdrie for evidence. On Saturday, members of the Calgary Police Service continued their presence on the rural property which began on Friday July 4 following tips from the public.
According to neighbours who reside near the Garland acreage, Douglas Garland was known to spend the majority of his time at home and they assumed Douglas was unemployed. The neighbours, who asked to remain anonymous, says the were shocked to hear Douglas was a 'person of interest' in the police investigation into the disappearance of Alvin, Kathy, and Nathan.
Gary Dack, who recently moved in to the rural neighbourhood, said officers approached his home on Saturday but they did not divulge what they were looking for.
"They were just asking some questions about any suspicious activity in the area," said Gary ."That's when we told them we haven't actually moved in yet."
"We know that the police have got a wide area to cover, it's a massive task for them. Unfortunately, we were of no help with their inquiries but we let them have a look around the yard and we showed them inside the sheds."
Neighbours witnessed police escorting Douglas Garland from the Garland acreage on July 4 for questioning. Garland has not been declared a suspect in the missing persons case.
Douglas Garland remained in custody in connection to charges unrelated to the disappearance of Alvin, Kathy and Nathan. Garland was released from the Calgary Remand Centre in the overnight hours of Friday night/Saturday morning on $750 bail and is believed to be staying in transitional housing.
Friends and family of Alvin, Kathy and Nathan continue to hope for a safe resolution to the disappearance which is now in its thirteenth day.
Father Julian Studden, pastor of Saint Michael Catholic Community, says the O'Briens attend his masses at the church where Nathan was baptized. The parish has hosted a novena, nine consecutive days of prayers, asking for the return of the missing family members.
“Today is the last day of the nine days of the novena and over the last nine days lots of people have been coming,” said Father Studden. “There are quite a few faithful people, especially (Nathan’s) teachers, who have been coming very regularly to pray.”
“They know that God is going to bring Nathan and his two grandparents back again. That is the hope we are trying to keep alive.”
Anyone with information about the disappearance is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service, 403-266-1234 or homicidetips@calgary.ca, or Crime Stoppers.
