'Vigil of hope' held for Alberta couple

Family and friends of Lyle and Marie Ann McCann held a candlelight "vigil of hope" Saturday night for the missing Alberta couple.

Hopefully, by keeping people involved, that something will come out of that," said Marlene Glebe, the organizer of the event, which was held at the front plaza of St. Albert Place in St. Albert.

Glebe has lived next door to the couple for 14 years. Neighbours continue to cut the grass and leave the lights on, hoping the elderly couple will return.

"Every time we go in the backyard, you never go out there without thinking about how soon they're going to come home," Glebe said.

The McCanns were reported missing two weeks ago. They were last seen at a gas station July 3 while on a road trip to the Vancouver area.

Two days later, the St. Albert couple's motorhome was found burned to a shell at a campground 200 kilometres west of Edmonton. But the police investigation didn't begin until July 10, when their daughter reported them missing after they didn't meet her as planned at the airport in Abbotsford, B.C.

The police investigation has recently focused on another campground west of Edmonton and on a house in nearby MacKay, where Travis Vader, whom police describe as a "person of interest" in the case, was arrested Monday.

Vader remains in custody on charges unrelated to the McCann case. No charges have been laid against anyone in their disappearance.

Their son, Bret McCann, worries that his missing parents will no longer be a priority.

"That is a concern. I know that life goes on. We're very hopeful that my parents will be found. I don't like to contemplate the other scenarios," he said.

He said his family has been overwhelmed by the support. Posters are up all over the community and a Facebook group has more than 35,000 members.