(submitted photo/PAPS)

By paNOW Staff

Missing persons billboards

Prince Albert police fund missing persons billboard campaign

May 20, 2021 | 9:00 AM

The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) is widening its request for help in trying to solve missing persons cases.

They’ve been running a new billboard campaign since May 10 across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, hoping to generate new information about the cases and raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous people from the local community.

Sgt. Kathy Edwardsen said the families need to know what happened.

“No amount of information is too small, and that little bit of information might be the detail we need to finally help family members learn what happened and find closure,” said Edwardsen.

The billboards include photos and information about the nine long-term missing persons files still under investigation – some dating back more than 40 years.

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• Happy Charles: Missing since April 3, 2017. Last seen near P.A.C.I.
• Ernestine Kasyon: Missing since December 6, 1989. Last seen the evening of December 6, 1989 while using a payphone in the 100 block of 10^th St. E in Prince Albert.
• Robert Allan Wiggins: Missing since July 28, 1980. Last seen just before sunrise on July 28, 1980 after getting a ride to a residence in the 500 block of 11^th St. E in Prince Albert.
• William Slywka: Missing since November 7, 1982. Last seen leaving North Park Centre and may have been in the area around Little Red River Park.
• June Ann Johnson: Missing since August 3, 1979. Last seen leaving the former Marlboro Inn in the unit block of 13^th St. E.
• Timothy Charlette: Missing since October 8, 2014. Last seen on the train bridge overlooking the North Saskatchewan River.
• Norman James Halkett: Missing since March 16, 2003. Last location is unknown.
• Joseph Couldwell: Missing since May 25, 1981. Last seen near the North Saskatchewan River.
• Samuel LaChance: Missing since July 29, 1987.

  Ernestine Kasyon has beeen missing since December 1989. (PAPS/YouTube)

The billboards were located in more than 20 locations including Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and places in between. The campaign was funded through the Criminal Investigations Division of the police service, which oversees the missing persons and historical crimes section. The cost totaled $5,000.

In a report for the board of police commissioners, PAPS said they had originally applied for funding through the provincial government but were denied. Fortunately, one of the companies the police service had previously contacted about a quote for the project still wanted to help out. Vendo Media offered a significantly discounted quote for the billboards with no extra charge for the design.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow