Trevor Hamlyn still missing; discovery of old phone turns up no new information

After a month of searching, there is still no sign of Trevor Hamlyn, but police say a cellphone belonging to him has been found.

Friends, family, police and search crews have been looking for Hamlyn, 33, who also goes by the nickname Pepsi, since he was last seen at his home in Paradise on June 16.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said in a news conference Monday that family and friends conducted an independent ground search in the Paradise area on June 25 and found a smartphone.

The RNC's Major Crime Unit has since confirmed that the phone belongs to Hamlyn.

"It's difficult to say whether it's suspicious or not at this point based on the evidence," said Const. Geoff Higdon.

"Investigators are open minded and it is possible that it is suspicious in nature. However, it's possible there's another explanation for it."

​Higdon said Hamlyn's bank accounts have been inactive for a month, and police have checked with ferries and airlines, ruling out that he left the province.

Sister says phone turned up nothing

In a message posted on Facebook, Hamlyn's sister Ashley Hamlyn said no information was recovered from the phone, which was his old device and not the one he was using at the time of his disappearance.

That phone, she said in the post, is still missing.

She said police conducted a search with dogs in the area where the old phone was found, and the family conducted another private search, but nothing else was discovered.

"We are exactly where we were one month ago," she said in the post.

Investigators are appealing to anyone who lives in the Imogene Crescent and Trails End Drive area with CCTV cameras to contact the RNC.

Ashley Hamlyn said on Facebook that only one relevant video has been found, but the footage wasn't very high quality, and didn't show much.

"We still don't know if he walked, got picked up or met someone," she said. "As you can all imagine it's very frustrating, but we're still looking."

RNC seeking information

Motorists with dashcams who may have been in the area on June 16 are also asked to contact police.

So far, there have been multiple co-ordinated ground searches, including the RNC's mounted and police dog units, Rovers Search and Rescue, a police drone, and a helicopter provided by provincial Fire and Emergency Services.

Investigators have also conducted more than 30 interviews and done door-to-door canvassing of the Trails End Drive neighbourhood in their search for Hamlyn.

Hamlyn is described as five-foot 10-inches, 230 lbs with a bald head and goatee.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact the RNC at 709-729-8000 or Crime Stoppers.

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