Dean Mattinas Sr. has been going out into the northern Ontario bush day by day for 50 days to seek for his 27-year-old son.
Dean Mattinas Jr., a member of Whitesand First Nation who lives in Thunder Bay, was final seen on March 18, strolling close to the bush line alongside Freeway 11 about six kilometres west of Constance Lake First Nation round 9:30 a.m. There have been no confirmed sightings of him since.
Mattinas Jr.’s father and a lot of his household are from Constance Lake. Mattinas Sr. stated his son was hitchhiking to Thunder Bay however by no means obtained there. Police are nonetheless investigating his disappearance.
Within the meantime, his dad is not sitting nonetheless.
“I am at all times trying, trying, trying and attempting to search for clues that he is nonetheless round, searching for possibly a jacket, or sweater, or socks or a bag,” he stated.
Mattinas Jr. is described as:
5-foot-10 with an athletic construct. Black hair, brown eyes and a skinny moustache with slight sideburns. Final seen carrying a camouflage-pattern or beige jacket, blue denims and brown boots, and probably carrying a black Underneath Armour tote bag and/or brown backpack.
He was initially reported lacking to the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) in late March. Since then, the investigation has been taken over by Ontario Provincial Police’s North East Area.
OPP Const. Kyler Brouwer of the James Bay detachment instructed Ontario Chronicle on Thursday that there have been no substantial updates on the case for the reason that final police information launch on April 25.
“The investigation is being led by the James Bay Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Crime Unit with help from the North East Area Emergency Response Group (ERT), North East Area Canine Unit, OPP Aviation Companies, and OPP Remotely Piloted Plane System (RPAS). These specialty models have carried out searches of the realm, nevertheless the lacking particular person has not been situated,” Brouwer stated in a follow-up e-mail to Ontario Chronicle Friday morning.
“The OPP is continuous to actively examine this lacking particular person case, and urge anybody with data to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.”
Thunder Bay is a few 500 kilometres southwest of Constance Lake, a couple of 5½-hour drive alongside Freeway 11 to Freeway 17. Practically 900 individuals reside within the Oji-Cree neighborhood, which is a part of Treaty 9.
Help from Cat Lake First Nation
On the day of Mattinas Jr.’s disappearance, there was a snowstorm.
Since then, his dad has been out whatever the climate. He leaves house in the morning and appears to be like round Constance Lake First Nation earlier than coming again to select up his different sons from college. Then, he is again out once more.
Now that it is hotter exterior, he is been going out on an ATV.
“It’s extremely scary typically, being on the market by your self,” he stated about looking the bush.
Members of Cat Lake First Nation come to Constance Lake First Nation to assist in search efforts for Mattinas Jr. (Submitted by Dean Mattinas Sr.)
On the finish of April, a group of trackers from Cat Lake First Nation arrived to assist the household’s search efforts. The trackers confirmed the household the way to doc their searches utilizing GPS knowledge and the CalTopo mapping app.
The Cat Lake group is predicted to return to Constance Lake subsequent week. Mattinas Sr. stated the household is grateful for his or her assist.
Nonetheless, the household hopes to get extra boots on the bottom as they conduct their very own searches. A Fb group referred to as Seek for Dean JR Mattinas had 140 members at publication time.
Looking the freeway a ‘problem’: NAN
Constance Lake is a part of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a political-territorial group that represents 49 First Nations throughout Treaties 9 and 5.
Michael Heintzman, NAN’s director of communications, offered an emailed assertion to Ontario Chronicle on Thursday about Mattinas Jr.’s disappearance.
The search has been very tough and we acknowledge the household’s frustration.- Michael Heintzman, NAN’s director of communications
“We’re very involved about Dean Mattinas and we pray for his protected return. Looking this lengthy stretch of freeway has been an amazing problem. The search has been very tough and we acknowledge the household’s frustration,” Heintzman stated
“Our disaster response group has supported search efforts by offering provides together with reflective vests, flashlights, maps, hats, socks, mitts, radios, groceries for meals for the searchers and the household.”
Heintzman stated NAN’s disaster co-ordinators assisted with a search from April 10 to 13 and arrange a command centre on the neighborhood corridor. Since then, NAN has “co-ordinated ongoing helps with neighborhood employees and Matawa First Nations Administration, whereas others have labored instantly with the household.”
“NAN has supported many searches for lacking neighborhood members throughout northwestern Ontario. Our disaster response employees do the very best they will to reply and assist when requested with restricted assets,” Heintzman stated.
‘He is a household boy’
It’s not like Mattinas Jr. to not keep up a correspondence together with his household, stated Tracy Bois, Mattinas Sr.’s associate.
“He is a household boy,” she stated. “He was working. He was unbiased. He was heading in the right direction.”
This week, Mattinas Sr. and his youngest sons spelled out a message in a subject with items of wooden that says: “Dean WRU (the place are you).”
The youngest sons of Dean Mattinas Sr. write a message to Mattinas Jr., who has been lacking since mid-March. (Submitted by Dean Mattinas Sr.)
The household additionally lit a sacred fireplace in his honour.
After weeks of looking, Mattinas Sr. stated his eyes have began to play methods on him. His sisters have additionally been concerned within the search and it has been exhausting for everybody.
“Identical to searching for a needle in a haystack,” Bois stated.
The OPP asks anybody with details about Mattinas Jr.’s whereabouts to contact the police at 1-888-310-1122. Those that want to stay nameless can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by going surfing at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
Police additionally encourage anybody who might have dashcam footage from the Constance Lake space of Freeway 11, from the morning of March 17 to the night of March 18, to get in contact.
