3 years on, family of missing First Nation man in Thunder Bay, Ont., seeks answers

For more than three years, Kimberly Lawson has been going over scenarios in her head about what possibly could have happened to her father.

Alex Lawson was last seen on Nov. 27, 2022. He was leaving his apartment in Thunder Bay, Ont., located on the 200-block of Madeline Street in the Grandview area.

The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) says there’s been no confirmed sightings of him since then, despite multiple searches, a dedicated tip line and a $15,000 reward in place.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been three years,” Kimberly Lawson told CBC News in an interview on Monday. “I don't think anyone ever thinks about that, when someone goes missing, that it would ever happen to them.”

While Alex Lawson was always known to walk long distances, he had never disappeared like this before. He was 65 years old when he was reported missing, and is a member of Lac Seul First Nation.

His family marked his 68th birthday this May in a Facebook group called Missing Person Alex Lawson, which has more than 2,100 followers.

“It’s still tough,” Kimberly Lawson said. “You think about different things that maybe you could have done differently.”

Alex Lawson is described as a five-foot-six Indigenous man with a medium build, long, straight grey hair and brown eyes, who usually sports facial hair.

He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, a light-coloured North Face puffer jacket with a dark upper area, blue jeans and black shoes.

“The Thunder Bay Police Service remains committed to locating Alex Lawson and bringing closure to his loved ones,” the TBPS said in a news release issued Friday, after members of Alex Lawson’s family held a news conference outside the police station to mark the third anniversary of his disappearance. 

The dedicated tip line for Alex Lawson’s case is 807-684-1055. People can also reach the police station at  807-684-1200 or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.p3tips.com.

The $15,000 reward — $10,000 coming from Lac Seul First Nation and $5,000 coming from the TBPS — is available to anyone with information that directly leads investigators to finding Alex Lawson. Meanwhile, Crime Stoppers also offers rewards of up to $2,000.

“Somebody might have some information about his case and just hopefully seeing that, they will come forward,” Kimberly Lawson said. “That's what our family wants, right? We just want to find our dad and bring him home.”

Kimberly Lawson says she’s sought counselling to help cope with the stress of her father’s disappearance, and has also received advice through an online support group for those with missing loved ones.