Fundraiser for Shane Smith's family aims to support search for homicide victim's body

Friends of a Chestermere, Alta., man who police believe was murdered held a fundraiser Saturday night to support parents' efforts to locate his body.

Shane Eric James Smith, 20, was reported missing by family members on June 7. He was last seen the day before in McKenzie Towne, a neighbourhood in Calgary's southeast.

Investigators with the Calgary Police Service believe Smith was killed sometime late at night on June 6 at a residence in southeast Calgary.

Three people have been charged in connection to the alleged homicide, but Smith's body still hasn't been found, despite multiple searches by police as well as family and friends.

Smith's sister Cassie gave an emotional public plea in the summer to anyone who has information, including the men charged in connection to the killing.

"In an ideal world this wouldn't have happened and these guys would at least say why or where, or help," she said.

She says the money from this event will help her family continue looking for her brother's body.

"Anything that needs to be hired, boats and companies or whatever we can do to help find him," she said.

"I've watched my parents reach out to so many different things out of their pocket so the fact that people want to help is really amazing."

Kim Calder, an organizer of the fundraiser, says Smith was one of her son's best friends.

"There's no words for it, it's just the worst thing that you can possibly imagine."

Calder was involved in several of the searches for Smith's body, and says she hopes the fundraiser and other efforts will help locate him.

"That's basically what we're after here, raising awareness and, you know, bringing Shane home," she said.