The family of a cattle rancher who went missing in mid-August repeated its appeal last week for help from the public in locating him.
Grant Moffat, 55, disappeared on Aug. 18 while on his way to join friends for a fishing trip near Toutes Aides, Man., about 50 kilometres north of Ste. Rose du Lac, Man.
He bought a fishing licence at a Ste. Rose store and was not seen again. His vehicle, a white Chevrolet Cobalt, was found two days later near Crane River, Man., a community in the area where he was to go fishing. The vehicle had been set on fire.
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Police were continuing their investigation when the Western Producer went to press on Sept. 11. They were not saying whether foul play might have been involved in the disappearance of Moffat, a well known cattle breeder.
“We’re reluctant to label it,” said RCMP staff sgt. Steve Saunders. “What we do know is the man is missing, so to try to put a label on it is very difficult until we can make the determination of what happened to Grant Moffat.”
Moffat’s sister, Janie Hale of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., forwarded a copy of a reward bulletin to the Producer last week hoping that more attention could be drawn to the search.
“We are hoping that someone was in the Ste. Rose du Lac area on Aug. 18, 2006, and saw either Grant or something that may be helpful to police,” she said in an e-mail.
“Maybe someone from Saskatchewan or Manitoba was driving through that area on holidays and saw something.”
Moffat, who has been a cattle breeder for 30 years, lived on a farm near Forrest, Man., north of Brandon. Local cattle producers and friends are offering a reward for information leading to his whereabouts.
Information that could help locate Moffat can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers at 800-985-3844.
A fund has been established to help pay for the search. Donations can be made at any office of the Westoba Credit Union or by mailing a cheque payable to the Grant Moffat Fund c/o R.R. 1, Box 57, Brandon, Man., R7A 5Y1. A donation by Visa or Mastercard can be made by downloading a form at www.grantmoffat.com.
Moffat had scaled back as a cattle breeder in recent years and was pursuing his interests as a freelance writer and photographer.
Large numbers of people have helped in searches of the area where Moffat disappeared, including police, friends and people from the cattle industry.
“The family is very appreciative of these efforts, but we also need the public’s assistance to provide any tips.”
Police continue to follow up on the tips they receive and conducted several smaller scale searches in some specific areas last week, Saunders said.
