Residents of a rural area northeast of Airdrie confirm the man police escorted from an acreage on Friday is Douglas Garland, a man previously charged in connection to the manufacturing of drugs and identity theft.
Calgary police and members of the RCMP responded to a rural property following a tip from the public indicating a truck matching the description of a suspect vehicle in the disappearance of Nathan O’Brien, Kathryn Liknes, and Alvin Liknes.
Neighbours tell CTV Douglas lives on the acreage which belongs to Archie and Doreen Garland.
Douglas Garland was transported to Calgary for questioning in relation to the missing people. On Sunday, the ‘person of interest’ was released from police custody but remains a ‘person of interest’ in connection to the ongoing investigation.
Douglas Garland was arrested and charged in the 1990s after attempting to make drugs on the farm belonging to his parents.
Garland fled to B.C. and assumed a false identity. He lived in B.C. for several years until police located and apprehended him.
Calgary police have not confirmed Garland’s connection to the investigation.
Social media indicates several connections between the Liknes/O’Brien family and the Garlands. CTV Calgary asked Nathan O’Brien’s parents if they know the Garland family. The O’Briens said ‘No comment’.
Leo Valasco, one of the Garland’s neighbours, says the police presence in the rural community is unusual.
“It’s weird for us,” said Valasco. “This is a nice place here. It’s safe, we never lock the doors.”
“If (the Garlands) have connection to the crime, we don’t know. It’s so sad.”
