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CBC
14 hours ago
- CBC
Remains found in Mille Îles River belong to man missing since 1988
Social Sharing A decades-long investigation into the disappearance of a Laval, Que., resident is now over. Laval police announced that the human remains found earlier this month belong to Robert Saint-Louis — a man who has been missing since 1988. Laval police made the announcement on Facebook Monday afternoon, saying the confirmation came after tests by the Quebec coroner's office. Divers find cache of cars in Montreal-area river — and may have solved 1980s cold case 8 days ago "The Service de police de Laval offers its most sincere sympathies to Mr. Saint-Louis' loved ones. His family tirelessly pursued efforts over the years, displaying great resilience and a profound attachment," reads the statement which also mentions how Saint-Louis' family stayed in touch with investigators over the years. About ten days ago, Exploring with a Mission — a non-profit group that specializes in missing persons cases and detecting vehicles underwater — discovered a beige 1980 Jeep Cherokee Chief off the shores of the city of Deux-Montagnes. Shortly after, police confirmed that the Jeep belonged to Saint-Louis. In total, seven vehicles were removed from that river this month. The investigation was a collaboration that also included the Sûreté du Québec as well as police in Laval and Deux-Montagnes. The seven vehicles were found in an area of the river that is estimated to be about 18 metres deep.
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Montreal Gazette
After 37 years, a Jeep in a river solves the mystery of his dad's disappearance
By Daniel St-Louis was in disbelief when his brother-in-law called him with the news last Sunday morning. After 37 years, his missing father's vehicle was found deep in the river waters in Deux-Montagnes. 'I told him I didn't believe it, but that I would still go,' St-Louis, 55, said in an interview with The Gazette on Friday. Upon arriving near a boat drop along the Mille-Îles River, he saw a large deployment and he knew something big was underway. Even after seeing photos of a beige Jeep Cherokee Chief, the same car his dad drove, he still had his doubts. But alongside the remains discovered in the vehicle, St-Louis said his father's sunglasses were retrieved. A unique square, gold watch that his father inherited from his own dad was also recovered. 'It was really a mix of 'I have to believe it' and 'This is real,'' St-Louis said. 'Then again, it was like a bad nightmare. 'It's an answer that we might not have wanted to receive, but in some way, we needed to have it.' Robert St-Louis, the father of Daniel and his four sisters, vanished at the age of 42. The Laval man was last seen in June 1988. At the time, Daniel St-Louis was 18 years old. They thought their dad was elsewhere for a few days as he would sometimes go for a break, he said. But after failing to come home, St-Louis said his mother contacted police. 'The police at the time didn't take the disappearance seriously,' he said, noting police didn't conduct searches in the beginning. There didn't appear to be any criminal element tied to the case, he added. Despite the family's efforts, tips from the public and a possible match that ended up being disproven in recent years, they never saw Robert again. It was one of Daniel St-Louis's sisters who recently penned a touching letter about their father's disappearance to the American non-profit Exploring with a Mission. The diving team, composed of two volunteers, search waterways for missing individuals whose vehicles were never recovered, under the assumption that the cars are likely submerged in bodies of water. Since 2023, they have found missing people in Australia, the U.S. and Canada. Armed with a list of a dozen cold cases mapped out by region, Exploring with a Mission arrived in Quebec in early July. They found the remains in a vehicle believed to belong to Yvon Guévin, a 75-year-old former town councillor who was reported missing in 2014, in the St-François River. With his sister's help, St-Louis said the two-person team scanned the river. But it was near a drop closer to the Deux-Montages side where they found a few cars buried deep in the dark, choppy waters. They dove and identified the Jeep Cherokee Chief believed to belong to Robert last Saturday evening, he said. Bones were inside, too. 'No one is equipped like them,' St-Louis said. 'It's 3D sonar and all that. It's incredible.' Upon their discovery, the team contacted the authorities, he said. In the days that followed, Laval police have been very supportive of their family and authorities have kept them up to date on any developments, he added. In an email Friday, Laval police told The Gazette that the investigation is ongoing and the department is still awaiting DNA results. A spokesperson for the Quebec coroner's office also said the identity has not yet been confirmed. As they await confirmation, the last week has been both difficult and much needed for Robert's widow and five children. The exact cause of death must also be determined, but St-Louis said 'everything seems to point' to suicide. 'We're torn between the 37-year grief that's coming out and also a little bit of satisfaction that, finally, we're going to begin to be able to grieve,' St-Louis said. Describing him as a strict and traditional man, St-Louis said his father was passionate about his work in the fur trade. He loved to go fishing with his son and he was very generous, he added. 'We were fishers,' he said. 'So, practically every weekend we went fishing on the boat.' Daniel St-Louis never got to introduce his wife or children to Robert, but they were all close with his father's twin brother, who died a few years ago. But there are parts of Robert that lived on in other ways: Daniel has the same striking blue eyes, and likens his passion for work to his dad's, saying this week it helped take care of his spirit. He also still loves to fish and share that with his grandsons. The family is slowly starting to discuss how they will honour Robert's life. They haven't finalized plans, but they were thinking about how he was part of the Knights of Columbus and how to incorporate that, drinking a 'big beautiful' pint of O'Keefe's because that's what he liked, 'even if it wasn't good,' St-Louis said, laughing. — with files from Jesse Feith of The Gazette
CTV News
20-07-2025
- CTV News
Divers find car linked to 37-year-old cold case in Quebec river
Police have taped off an area off the Mille-Îles River after divers found a car believed to be linked to a 37-year-old cold case. (Stephane Giroux/CTV) A vehicle believed to be linked to a Laval man's disappearance 37 years ago is being fished out of the Mille-Îles River in Deux-Montagnes, Que. Australian and American divers from Exploring With a Mission said they found a vehicle believed to belong to Robert St-Louis who went missing in the late '80s on Sunday. Diver William McIntosh told CTV News he his crew found 'five or six cars' in the river, one of them matching the description St-Louis's daughter had given of her father's Jeep Cherokee Chief. He said the divers found bones inside the vehicle. McIntosh said St-Louis's daughter contacted the Exploring With a Mission team for help solving her father's disappearance — she had been the last person to see him when he went missing on Father's Day in 1988. 'We decided to get right in the river,' he said. 'We came across a big stone that was about 70 feet long, and then it dropped straight off into from from five feet of water, directly down to 50 feet. And at 50 feet, we found one car, and then we came back around on it. We found three more, but we found one that was the shape of a Jeep Cherokee with square back with a square window, which is a very unique car.' Using a sonar and magnets, the divers were able to pull the car by its rim. 'I got the chills immediately. I knew that we had him,' said McIntosh. '[My colleague] Dan put his hand in in the rocks under the driver's side door, and the first bone that that he touched was a U-shaped bone.' St-Louis lived very close to the spot in the river where the vehicles were found. According to McIntosh, at least 11 people are missing in the area including Lucie Bouchard who went missing in 1996. Though there were at least five cars in the river, McIntosh and his team were focused on St-Louis. 'They've been waiting 37 years, and currently they might be waiting 37 hours to be able to get this vehicle out and to get all the remains out so they finally can bury their father,' McIntosh said of his family. McIntosh said the depth of the water just off the boat ramp can make it a hotspot for 'nefarious activity' and 'self-harm scenarios.' 'None of these are accident related,' he told CTV News. Police have taped off the area and are working to corroborate the divers' findings. 'The divers from the 'Exploring with a Mission' group will meet with investigators, and an examination of the vehicle and its contents will be carried out once it has been removed from the Mille-Îles River in order to confirm the information obtained,' the Lac des Deux-Montagnes police service said in a news release. 'The assistance of divers from the Sûreté du Québec was requested on site, as certain information leads us to believe that the vehicle may be linked to a missing persons case in Laval,' the police force added. The group of divers has been on a North American tour searching for missing people. On July 11, they found a car belonging to Yvon Guévin, who had been missing for 11 years, in the Saint-François River. With files from The Canadian Press
Hamilton Spectator
20-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Vehicle found in river north of Montreal could be linked to missing person case
MONTREAL - Police north of Montreal say a vehicle found in the Mille-Îles river on Sunday could be linked to the case of a Laval man who went missing in 1988. Deux-Montagnes police say they are looking into the discovery, reported to police by a diving group known as Exploring With a Mission. The group searches waterways for missing people and says they located a vehicle on the bottom of the river with bones inside. Group member William McIntosh says he believes the vehicle is the tan Jeep Cherokee Chief belonging to Robert St-Louis, a 42-year-old father of five last seen in June 1988. Police say they requested the assistance of Quebec provincial police divers because the vehicle might be linked to a missing person case. Laval police says its crimes against persons division will try to confirm whether any human remains recovered from the site can be identified. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vehicle found in river north of Montreal could be linked to missing person case
MONTREAL – Police north of Montreal say a vehicle found in the Mille-Îles river on Sunday could be linked to the case of a Laval man who went missing in 1988. Deux-Montagnes police say they are looking into the discovery, reported to police by a diving group known as Exploring With a Mission. The group searches waterways for missing people and says they located a vehicle on the bottom of the river with bones inside. Group member William McIntosh says he believes the vehicle is the tan Jeep Cherokee Chief belonging to Robert St-Louis, a 42-year-old father of five last seen in June 1988. Police say they requested the assistance of Quebec provincial police divers because the vehicle might be linked to a missing person case. Laval police says its crimes against persons division will try to confirm whether any human remains recovered from the site can be identified. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
