'We're just so grateful for them': One month after disappearance, volunteers keep searching for Cortney Lake

For the second night this week, volunteers are searching a wooded area for Cortney Lake's body. 

About 40 searchers met at the Marine Institute on Ridge Road in St. John's at 6 p.m. Friday to look for the 24-year-old woman, or any clues that may lead to finding her. 

• Troubled timeline: 30 minutes in court reveal 2 months of conflict between Cortney Lake and Philip Smith
• Water and land search conducted in Cortney Lake homicide investigation

"Today marks one month since Cortney disappeared and and one week since the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary announced that her disappearance is now a murder investigation," said Glenda Power, Lake's aunt.

"There's nothing more important to our family than finding her and we have to help the search efforts as best as we can."

Power said her sister, Donna Walsh, has been looking at all the police information and determined the east end search area that way. 

In addition to the police, members of the public have also been holding searches. There's one planned for the Topsail Beach area Saturday morning, Power said, adding that people have looked for Lake on foot, on bikes and in pickup trucks and cars.

Oftentimes the people helping with the search efforts don't even know Lake.

"They are people who have been touched by our story. Their hearts are now connected to Cortney and her disappearance and now her murder."

"And it fills my heart and it supports our family so much to know that so many people care — not just across the province, but across the country — about Cortney and her disappearance."

While the family grew more worried as the days went on, nothing could prepare them for the news the investigation turned into one of homicide.

"I don't think any family prepares to hear that kind of news and we certainly were growing more and more worried every day, but we never put our heads there. We just could not. It devastated us. There's no other word for it," she said.

Power said the family is coping as well as anyone could given the horrific circumstances. 

"But you know, the people see one side — we're here organizing searches, we're giving out information — but we have days when we just can't get out of bed. We are devastated," she said.

"We break down, but we have lots of support too. So we keep going. And we're going to keep going until she's found. And until a murder charge is laid and justice is served."

On Wednesday, roughly 50 people gathered to search a secluded area near the Foxtrap Access Road, but did not find anything relevant to Lake. 

By Friday afternoon, more than 20 volunteer-led searches had been conducted around the Avalon Peninsula, along with several searches under the direction of the RNC. 

Power said her family has done its job keeping Lake on people's minds.

"They have been moved by her. I think they've connected to our family and they look at Cortney and think, 'Wow, she could be my daughter, my sister, my friend,' and that's why all of these people are out tonight."

"And we're just so grateful for them."  

Police investigation ongoing

Lake was last seen more than a month ago.

Last Friday, June 30, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said Lake's disappearance is now a homicide investigation. 

Police released video they said shows her getting into a black pickup truck on Michener Avenue in Mount Pearl at 7:54 p.m. June 7. The RNC also said it thinks she may have been driven to a wooded area.

No one is charged in connection with her disappearance. 

Friday's search area near Ridge Road is not far from where Lake's ex-boyfriend, 25-year-old Philip Steven Smith, lives. 

• Cortney Lake disappearance: Police search ex-boyfriend's home, remove items

Neighbours told CBC News police canvassed the neighbourhood asking if anyone had seen Lake recently and searched properties in the area a couple of weeks ago. 

Smith is currently in police custody for breaching court orders, and is due to appear in court July 11.