Family turns to public for help after Cape Breton man's mysterious disappearance

The family of a Cape Breton man is appealing to the public for help after their 78-year-old father mysteriously went missing.

RCMP issued news releases and conducted an extensive search for Derek Kruger after his car was found on a logging road east of Truro, N.S., but more than two months after his disappearance, the family and police need some new clues.

Monique Jackson said her father left his rural Richmond County home and hit the road Sept. 29 in his little red Mazda Miata, heading for Texas to visit his son.

"He's made this trip before, so dad knew where he was going and dad was a point-A-to-point-B person and always had his trip planned in advance," she said.

But Kruger never showed up and the family reported him missing early in October.

RCMP say he bought gas in Antigonish and a few days later his vehicle was found near Greenfield, Colchester County.

Derek Kruger's red Mazda Miata. (Monique Jackson)

"He was seen on a surveillance camera fuelling up his vehicle and he stopped in to Tim Hortons to grab himself a beverage and after that we haven't heard from dad," Jackson said.

"We haven't seen dad. It's hard to grasp."

Jackson said her father knew the route to Texas, had driven it before and there was no reason for him to leave the highway.

"Where the vehicle was found there was no way that, 17 kilometres down this logging road, that the Miata would have gone down there, because dad thought the world of this car."

After a search that included RCMP, police dogs, ground search and rescue and a provincial helicopter, no trace of Kruger was found.

RCMP say there is no evidence of criminality, but Jackson said family members have their own suspicions.

'There's too many red flags'

"There's too many red flags," she said. "Like I told the police, I said dad would never drive down off the beaten path and put his car here. I said my gut is telling me something happened to dad and somebody planted the vehicle out here."

The family even hired a company that uses cadaver dogs to search for dead bodies, but nothing was found.

Jackson said the family is at its wits end.

'We just want our dad home'

"We're appealing to the public. If anybody has seen anything, please call it in. We just want our dad home. We need some closure."

RCMP issued another news release on Wednesday reminding the public to call with tips.

Const. Dominic Laflamme said RCMP have exhausted all possible leads.

He said anytime someone goes missing, RCMP know it's difficult for family.

"We're still looking for that gentleman," Laflamme said. "To try to generate more tips, we'll send out that release."

RCMP are asking anyone with information to call the Port Hawkesbury detachment at 902-625-2220, or to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477.

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