Man's disappearance adds more heartache for family grieving death of his brother

The disappearance of a northern Nova Scotia man has brought more heartbreak to a family still processing the death of a loved one who was shot and killed in Amherst, N.S., last year.

Jessie Morrissey, 26, was last seen Feb. 13 in the Leamington area of Cumberland County. His 23-year-old brother, Jerry Morrissey, was killed this past November and a man has been charged with murder in his death.

Their mother, Jodi Morrissey, said while the search for Jessie stopped a few days after his disappearance, she is still checking abandoned homes and campsites hoping to find her son.

"Jessie is loved and I just want him to come home and we really need him," she said. "I just feel in my heart that he wouldn't do this to us knowing the grieving we're going through with his brother. I just want him to come home."

Morrissey said Jessie's disappearance has brought more despair to the family. So far police don't believe it to be suspicious, but she disagrees.

"I just really don't believe that he just vanished. And I'm not sure who has something to do with this, but I would really like to just have my son home one way or another," she said.

She said Jessie's social media has been silent since he went missing. She said he was logged into his account on her phone, so while she can see messages coming in, there haven't been any responses from Jessie. She noted there was stormy weather on the day he went missing.

'He's worried about his dad'

Jessie's disappearance has been particularly hard on his two children, aged four and seven. Morrissey said she sees his seven-year-old son on weekends and that he's heartbroken. 

"He always worried about his dad, as it was, and now the heartache of not knowing where he is," she said.

She said it's also been very hard on Jerry's seven-year-old son.

"In the last few months [Jerry's son has] really gotten close with his uncle Jessie, so now he's a bit confused. First his daddy, and now his uncle Jessie," she said.

Morrissey said the disappearance has also been hard on her son's father. She said she's depressed and anxious.

Reward for information

The family has a reward of $2,000 for information leading to Jessie being found.

RCMP say anyone with information on Jessie's whereabouts should call Cumberland County District RCMP at 902-667-3850. Anonymous tips can be shared with Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and online.

Police described Jessie as six feet tall and 200 pounds, with short brown hair and blue eyes. He has a tattoo above his eye. He was last seen wearing a grey hoodie, baseball cap, blue jeans and black boots.

RCMP shared a photo taken from a surveillance video in the Springhill, N.S., area that shows a person from behind wearing clothing like Jessie was wearing.

Morrissey said it's OK for people to reach out directly to the family with information as well.

"If they're scared to go to the cops, they can come to me or Jessie's dad — we won't put any names out there, I swear to God. I just want our boy home," she said.