Crime Stoppers billboard launched to aid family in search for answers about loved one's disappearance
Robert Hutchison was 33 at the time he went missing in 2021, but nearly 3 years later little is known
A new billboard campaign has been launched in Winnipeg to try and help a family find answers to their loved one's disappearance three years ago.
Robert Hutchison last contacted his family in January 2021 and was reported missing that March. A Crime Stoppers billboard was put up at Logan Avenue and King Edward Street this week with a reward for information.
"We still don't know what happened and still don't really have any answers," said Paul Turenne, Hutchison's cousin, in an interview on CBC Radio's Up To Speed Thursday.
Hutchison grew up in Winnipeg and Turenne remembers him as being a happy and rambunctious child. As he got older, he was also a professional cook and then joined the military.
Turenne said Hutchison also enjoyed the outdoors and activities like hunting, fishing and riding quads.
He said the idea of the billboard came together from Hutchison's father. Turenne said the family set up a Go Fund Me campaign in order to raise money for the billboards and that there's another one set to go up in the coming weeks, which will go in the city's West End.
Crime Stoppers is offering up to $2,000 in reward money for information, he said.
Police previously said they believed Hutchison was a victim of foul play.
They said during a July 2022 news conference that it's believed he was seen on the night of Jan. 31, 2021, somewhere in the area of Manitoba Avenue and Artillery Street. Police also said at that time they believed Hutchison was familiar with the area he was in.
WATCH | Mother pleads for information about disappearance of her son:
"We don't know a whole bunch more than what's out there publicly already," said Turenne. "Whether there's people who know anything and just aren't talking … we really don't know, we don't have a whole bunch of extra information beyond what's out there already."
Turenne said until there's a concrete conclusion one way another he supposes there's always hope.
"When the police publicly announce that they think that someone's been the victim of foul play I suppose you have to be realistic about that," he said. "Until we know and unless we know, we really don't know and so I suppose there's always hope it's something you've got to take with a grain of realism."
Winnipeg police told CBC News Thursday the investigation into Hutchison's disappearance remains open and any new information will be followed up on.
With files from Brittany Greenslade