Latest news with #Merasty
Global News
4 days ago
- Global News
Where is Natanis Merasty? Woman still missing as her vehicle tracked through 3 provinces
More than two months after a Saskatchewan woman was last seen in Edmonton, police now say her vehicle was tracked from the Prairies to the Pacific and back — but Natanis Merasty is nowhere to be found. 'Natanis is very soft-spoken. She's shy, she is loving, caring,' said her aunt and godmother Marcella Merasty at an Edmonton Police Service news conference on Friday 'We want her home. She is loved. She did not deserve this.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We want her home. She is loved. She did not deserve this." Where the 24-year-old is and whether she is alive remains a mystery. 'This missing person investigation stretches across three provinces. It speaks to the scale of work that's ongoing, and the complexity of this case,' said EPS major crimes detective Lisa Rio. Last month, police said Merasty was from La Ronge, Sask., but on Friday her family said she's from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, which surrounds Prince Albert in northern Saskatchewan. Story continues below advertisement 'The most important thing is that we have a lot of hope that she's still alive, absolutely,' said her uncle, Victor Michel. 'We are hurt as a family, obviously, and we're just seeking the public's help. 'But mainly we are seeking our girl, and we want her home, and we have hope that she's still alive.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "But mainly we are seeking our girl, and we want her home, and we have hope that she's still alive." Merasty was in Edmonton 10 weeks ago to visit friends. Police said she came to the city with some other friends or acquaintances, but did not say who or how they knew Merasty. Natanis Merasty seen leaving the Continental Inn on 166 Street and Stony Plain Road in west Edmonton on May 5, 2025. Edmonton Police Serivce She was last seen overnight on May 5, when she left the Continental Inn on 166 Street and Stony Plain Road in the west end around 1:30 a.m. About an hour and a half later, she went into a 7-11 a few blocks away on 156 Street and 107 Avenue. Story continues below advertisement That's the last time Merasty was captured on surveillance camera video, Edmonton police said. View image in full screen Natanis Merasty spotted in a 7-11 on 156 Street and 107 Avenue in west Edmonton on May 5, 2025. Edmonton Police Serivce However, her vehicle continued to be spotted as it travelled through central Alberta and then west to Vancouver Island, and back again east into northern Saskatchewan. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy On May 9, Merasty was reported missing by her family to RCMP in Saskatchewan after they hadn't heard from her in four days. At the time, RCMP thought Merasty could be in Calgary or Leduc in Alberta, or Revelstoke in B.C. Edmonton police took over the investigation on May 22. Merasty drives a 2007 black Hyundai Tucson with Saskatchewan plates, which was found 10 days after she vanished back in Saskatchewan with a new, shoddy paint job. Story continues below advertisement 'It was silver, spray-painted, maybe,' said Rio. 'The timeframe — we know that on the 12th it was black. We know that on the 15th, it was silver. For me to say it was spray painted, it's just an assumption, but it didn't look an extremely clear and neat job.' View image in full screen Natanis Merasty, 24, is from La Ronge, Sask. but was in Edmonton on May 5, 2025. Edmonton Police Service She has long, brown hair, brown eyes and is described as having an average build. Police said she has multiple tattoos, including a cross on her forearm, a flower on the top of her right hand, and letters on her fingers. She was last seen wearing black clothing and white shoes. 'While we continue to work with our counterparts in each jurisdiction, we ask for the public's help,' Rio said. 'It is unlike Natanis to not be in contact with her family for long periods of time. So, we consider this disappearance suspicious.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It is unlike Natanis to not be in contact with her family for long periods of time. So, we consider this disappearance suspicious." Story continues below advertisement People go missing all the time, but Edmonton police said this case stands out. 'The longer time gaps and spans between our last point of communication with family or friends, with no contact, no sightings, no information — it becomes increasingly more suspicious and more concerning,' Rio said. Rio said police have spoken to a number of individuals and what she waid were people of interest, but no arrests have been made. Police are now releasing a timeline of when she was last spotted, along with where her vehicle has been seen in the weeks since in Alberta, B.C. and back in Saskatchewan. May 5, 2025 Natanis is captured on CCTV at the Continental Inn at 166 Street and Stony Plain Road in Edmonton She was observed driving away in her 2007 black, Hyundai Tucson at 1:22 a.m. Her vehicle returns to the hotel around 1:30 a.m. and leaves at 2:37 a.m. Natanis is captured on CCTV at the 7-Eleven on 156 Street and 107 Avenue and leaves at 2:55 a.m. Her vehicle travels through the Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Buck Lake, Nordegg and Lake Louise areas May 6, 2025 – The vehicle travels through British Columbia May 7, 2025 – The vehicle travels by ferry to Nanaimo, B.C. May 10, 2025 – The vehicle returns to the Edmonton area May 12, 2025 – The vehicle is observed west of Lloydminster May 15, 2025 – Natanis' vehicle is found abandoned and repainted on the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Anyone with information about Natanis' whereabouts is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Story continues below advertisement Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
3 First Nations teams compete on new season of The Amazing Race Canada
In the new season of The Amazing Race Canada, three of the 11 teams racing for the win are made up of First Nations competitors. One of those teams is husband and wife duo Blair and Skylene Gladue. Despite the intensity of the race, Blair said the best part of the experience was connecting with so many other First Nations teams. "We lifted each other up," he said. "We love each other, respect each other and we're family." Blair, a Cree entertainer from Calling Lake, Alta., is better known as Superfan Magoo, a die-hard Edmonton Oilers fan who can be spotted hyping up the crowd at most Oilers games. His teammate is his wife Skylene Gladue, a Cree and Dane-zaa performer and fashion designer from Beaver First Nation in northern Alberta. Skylene is the founder of Nipîy Iskwew Designs and her From Rez to the Runway workshops empower youth to explore all aspects of the fashion industry. The couple works with the Magoo Crew, an anti-bullying motivational speaking group that leads youth workshops in Indigenous communities. "The show really tests your relationship," Blair said. "It's hard. If you've ever watched it on TV, It's 10 times harder in real life." Blair's only regret about joining the show? Missing the Oilers' first two playoff rounds while filming. He'll be watching the season premiere at home with friends and family, while Skylene tunes in from New York where she's touring as Jan in Bear Grease, a First Nations twist on the musical Grease. Another First Nations duo racing this season are Vancouver-based best friends and roommates Rebecca Merasty and Rebecca Watt, or as they're called on the show, The Rebeccas. Merasty is Cree from Flying Dust First Nation in Saskatchewan and Watt is Dehcho Dene from Pehdzeh Ki First Nation in Wrigley, N.W.T. "Initially the excitement of being on a show that is well represented throughout the world was encouraging and motivating but digging a little deeper, being Indigenous women coming from small communities, this could be an opportunity for us to be represented in mainstream media," said Merasty, who works as a model. "Our biggest message is for all those the youth out there that come from small communities to dream big. You can make it happen. If you can dream it, you can do it." Model Ashley Callingbull and her father Joel Ground were the first First Nations duo to compete in the race in 2016. In 2019, Anthony Johnson and James Makokis became the first Indigenous team to win the race. For the Rebeccas, a highlight of the season came on day one, when they noticed a familiar face among their competitors: their friend actor Grace Dove. "That was just the most beautiful and funniest surprise ever, turning around and seeing her face," said Merasty. Dove, known for her roles in The Revenant, Alaska Daily and Bones of Crows, is Secwépemc from Canim Lake in B.C. She's racing with her brother, Joe Syme. In a preview, Syme said he's most excited to explore parts of Canada never seen. Dove said she's looking forward to the competition and spending time with her brother. The winning team of The Amazing Race Canada's 11th season will receive two Chevrolet Blazers, a trip around the world and $250,000 in cash.
Global News
05-06-2025
- Global News
Sask. woman last seen in Edmonton missing under suspicious circumstances: EPS
A young woman from northern Saskatchewan hasn't been seen or heard from in a month and now, the Edmonton Police Service is investigating her disappearance as suspicious in nature. Natanis Merasty, 24, is from La Ronge, Sask. but was in Edmonton last month. She was reportedly last seen at the Continental Inn on 166 Street and Stony Plain Road in the west end on May 5. On May 9, Merasty was reported missing by her family to RCMP in Saskatchewan after they hadn't heard from her in four days. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy At the time, RCMP thought Merasty could be in Calgary or Leduc in Alberta, or Revelstoke in B.C. Edmonton police took over the investigation on May 22, and continue to seek information about her whereabouts. Story continues below advertisement Merasty drives a 2007 black Hyundai Tucson with Saskatchewan plates. She has long brown hair, brown eyes and is described as having an average build. Police said she has multiple tattoos, including a cross on her forearm, a flower on the top of her right hand, and letters on her fingers. She was last seen wearing black clothing and white shoes. Edmonton police said family and investigators are concerned for her wellbeing, and investigators now consider Natanis' disappearance suspicious. Anyone with information about Natanis' whereabouts is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
