Cape Breton police confident they will find missing man in what is now a homicide investigation

The chief of Cape Breton Regional Police says the force is hoping more tips will come in, but he's confident investigators will find Justin MacDonald's body.

"We are committed that we will continue this investigation until we do," Robert Walsh said during a media briefing on Thursday.

"I ask that if there's anyone in the public who has any information in relation to this matter, please come forward at this time. It's never too late to do the right thing. Help us to bring Justin home to his family."

MacDonald, 34, has been missing since July and his case was declared a homicide in November.

Insp. Joe Farrell said police have interviewed hundreds of people and searched more than 50 locations. They've arrested three people in the case and more charges are possible, he said.

Farrell said police expect to do more interviews and will search anywhere that tips lead them.

MacDonald's father, Ken MacDonald, and other family and friends have continued to search for his body and posted regular updates on social media appealing for information.

"If the chief says they're confident we're going to find him, I'll take his words 100 per cent, because I'm confident we're going to find him. I really am," Ken MacDonald said. "I believe it in my heart. I believe it and he has to be found."

He said not knowing where his son is has taken a terrible toll.

"Do you got kids? Did you ever take them to a shopping centre and all of a sudden they get lost … for five minutes and you don't know and the panic comes in? Keep that feeling. Keep that in your body and it doesn't go away."

Police have done an "amazing" job so far, he said, but no one has said what they think happened to his son, despite the three arrests.

"I think we're getting closer to finding out and as this moves forward in the next month and they start getting court dates, I think we're going to find out exactly what went wrong."

In December, police charged Mitchell George McPhee, 38, with manslaughter in MacDonald's disappearance and with the robbery and assault of another man.

Later, they arrested Ryan Joseph Pike, 36, and charged him with second-degree murder and robbery, and on Dec. 31, they announced Aaron Curtis Mickey, 45, had been charged with second-degree murder, robbery and four firearm-related offences.

On Thursday, Walsh said police were unable to provide more details, because the investigation is ongoing.

"This was not a random act of violence," he said. "This was an isolated incident involving individuals who were connected to one another."

Farrell said the homicide case was connected to a robbery, but he couldn't say any more about that.

He said police have searched a wide area stretching from North Sydney to Irish Vale, N.S.

MacDonald was last seen on July 7 around 11 p.m. local time at the Irving gas station in North Sydney, where he appeared on the store's security camera.

Police later found his vehicle about 25 kilometres away in the Ormond Crescent area of Mira Road.

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