The search for a missing Spences Bridge man has taken another step forward, with two new billboards installed in the community.
Luke Neville was last seen in the Spences Bridge area around 4:30 PM on October 9, 2017, driving a 2003 white Ford E250 van.
His brother Mark Neville made a public plea yesterday for anyone with information to come forward and help him locate his missing brother.
He also built the two billboards that are now up in Spences Bridge.
Below is his full statement, via the RCMP:
Hello, my name is Mark Neville I’m Luke’s older brother.
I traveled here this week from Ottawa with my wife Sue and my son, Luke’s nephew, to build and erect this billboard, and to plead with anyone who may have information about my brother Luke Neville’s disappearance to come forward.
Luke went missing on October 9th in 2017 and was last seen at around 4:30 pm in the Spences Bridge area that afternoon, driving a white 2003 Ford E250 van. We were notified about Luke’s disappearance by the RCMP and also learnt that the van he was driving was subsequently located, burned out, along the Sackum Forest Service Road, in the Spences Bridge area.
Since that day, Luke’s family nor anyone else has heard from him, and he has not been seen since.
Investigators with the RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit explained to us that they believe that Luke may have met with foul play. From the very early stages of their investigation, they have described his disappearance as suspicious.
Our message today is simple, We ask anyone who may have any information about Luke’s disappearance or about his activities or whereabouts on the 9th or in the days leading up to that day, to step up and do the right thing,
Please call the RCMP TipLine or Crime Stoppers.
Luke was our brother, he was a beloved son, he was a proud uncle and a gentle soul who loved dogs, the outdoors and helping people in need. He had many friends who cared for him and a large and close family who loved him very much.
(Photo of Neville Brothers – Paul, Mark, Luke, and Peter)
My brothers and I are all professional firefighters. Luke was also a professional firefighter for 6 years.
Luke, Paul, Peter and I, have been helping strangers and risking our lives for almost 30 years now, dedicating our lives to helping others and keeping our communities safe.
This time, we are the ones asking for help.
The police can’t do this alone and we can’t do this alone. He’s not just a case number or missing person photo to us and there is not a day goes by I haven’t thought about him or where to look for him.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation or determining who is responsible for Luke’s disappearance, is not our concern. That is the police’s job and focus.
He was my baby brother, and I still clearly remember looking at him in his crib the day my mom first brought him home. My mom is elderly now, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her son. The main focus for my family is finding Luke, I have to find him, I have to bring him home and give him a proper burial in Ottawa.
The investigation outcome will not bring Luke back, finding him will however provide our family with a degree of solace. I can only hope that seeing his photo and hearing my plea will motivate someone to pick up the phone and tell us where he is.
Please tell me where to look for him, please help me find my little brother.
