DURHAMEGION.COM
Interview with Investigator Ricketts
Six boys went missing in Pickering 26 years ago on St. Patrick's Day
The case still hasn't been solved but a private investigator hasn't stopped lookingfor answers
By Kristen Calls• Pickering News Advertiser
Wednesday, March 17,2021
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A private investigator on the case of Pickering's 'Lost Boys' hasn't stopped lookingfor answers to the strange disappearance of 26 years ago.
Bruce Ricketts, an Ottawa-based investigator who took on the case on a volunteer basis,continues to track down clues in hopes of putting together the pieces of a puzzle that hasstumped investigators for a quarter of a century.
On March 17, 1995,teenagers Jay Boyle, Michael Cummings, Daniel Higgins, Jamie Lefebvre, Robert Rumbolt, and Chad Smith were seen for the last time by the East Shore Marina in Pickering.Itis believed they hopped onto two stolen boats after a night of partying and they drowned in Lake Ontario.
Neither of the boats nor their bodies have been found.
Ricketts has learned from a coroner's investigation that pants that were tested for the possibility of belongingto Jay Boyle have been ruled out as being his. However,he questions the reasoning,as the report indicates they could not be red Levi'sjeans, which Jay was wearing.To Ricketts,they look like red Levi's that have beenfaded over time.
Ricketts was also ableto get his hands on surveillance footagefrom where the boys were last seen.
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3/18/2021 Six boys went missing in Pickering 26 years ago on St. Patrick's Day
"I went through the entire six hours a couple of times:' he said.
He found a lot of activity inthat time frame and wants to know more about interviews that were conducted with the individuals that were captured on camera.
"There is a lot of stuff that was unreported in this case:' he said. "Who were the people in the parking lot of the marina that were seen on the tape? Were they ever investigated?
"At no point in time I have seen documentation from police saying they've done anythingto investigate the other persons that were on the tape that night:' he said.
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That boat has never been found, despite a witness statement Ricketts obtained indicating it would sink eventually, but not right away.
Durham Regional Police Service media spokesperson Acting Sgt. George Tudos confirmed the case is still unsolved.
11 1 am not aware of any new leads in this investigation, but if there was any concrete evidence or new information we would hope that it is reported to DRPS,11 he said.
Ricketts has spent years gathering pieces of documentation on the case but believes having all access to the case flies will help him get closer to solving the mystery.He gets most of his information from Freedom of Information requests, but much of the content is heavily redacted.
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3/18/2021
Ricketts has theories.
Six boys went missing in Pickering 26 years ago on St. Patrick's Day
"I believe that there was drugs involved and Igot more information from people in the area at the time to indicate that," he said. "I also believe there was a conflict between two of the boys, Jay Boyle and Danny Higgins, that brewed that night:'
Ricketts currently has a Facebook page dedicated to information on the Lost Boys but is currently working on a website.
"The hope is that when they see the info and the docs and the photos all together in one spot, then maybe it will trigger somebody's knowledge or memory of something;' he said.
Kristen Calis is a reporter with Metro/and Media Group's Durham Region Division. She can be reached at KCalis@durhamregion. com . Follow DurhamRegion.com on Twitter and Facebook
Tags: Human Interest, Local News,News
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