SLAVE LAKE – It’s been 43 years, but RCMP Chief Supt. Gary Graham believes that a young boy that went missing in from his Slave Lake home in 1980 is still alive and they’re hoping that a new photo that approximates his appearance, as well as renewed coverage from the media, will help solve the case.
Graham spoke to the media during a March 1 press conference on the 1980 disappearance of then-three-year-old Jeffrey Dupres and stressed that it was “a very active investigation” despite the lack of new evidence. The hope is that the new photo, which approximates what Dupres would look like today, will help solve the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
“If we accept that Jeffrey may have been the person picked up and placed in that truck, then there’s hope that right from the very beginning, some(one) placed value in picking him up and it wouldn’t be to cause harm to him,” said Graham.
Throughout the 43-year investigation, the RCMP have found no evidence that would suggest “anything untoward” happened to Dupres.
The case
Dupres was reported missing by his mother, Denise McKee, on April 24, 1980, after he told her that he was going to play with his friend next door. When the friend came over half an hour later looking for him, McKee knew something was wrong.
Her initial search quickly expanded, with neighbors and RCMP officers looking into the night for the young boy — McKee initially reported him missing around 1:15 p.m. The effort continued into the next day, with around 100 civilians, plus 300 high school students helping with a coordinated search directed by the RCMP.
“Every residence, every building, every vehicle that we could find – that entire town was scrutinized and reviewed,” said Graham.
This process repeated five times between April 25, and May 2, 1980, with everyone from neighbors, to airplane pilots, to members of the Canadian Armed Forces lending a hand, but the young boy was never found.
Multiple eyewitnesses came forward during the initial search, as well in the years that followed, saying they thought they recognized Dupres. The witnesses said that the child was approached by a woman, who was the passenger in a blue Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck with chrome wheels. The vehicle, believed to be a make between 1978-1981, was being driven by a man.
Witnesses say he was placed in the vehicle by the woman, which then departed. RCMP searched databases of registered vehicles that matched the description at the time but were unable to produce any further leads and Mounties still believe that this is a key detail in the case.
A plea for help
Graham spoke directly to Dupres from the podium, as he noted that he might not even realize who he really is.
“You don’t have any baby pictures. Perhaps you wear glasses now. You probably moved around a lot in your early life; maybe you even feel like you’re different than the rest of your family.”
The RCMP also believe that Dupres walks with a limp as one leg is longer then the other, and that he probably suffers from external tibia torsion, which would cause his legs and feet to turn outwards.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Slave Lake RCMP at 780-849-3999 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
