Douglas Garland, the “person of interest” in an Alberta missing persons case, has been released from police custody on $750 bail.
He appeared in court Friday via video for a bail hearing after being charged with two counts related to identity theft and possession of a stolen credit card.
He has not been charged in relation to the disappearance of five-year-old Nathan O'Brien and his grandparents, Kathryn and Alvin Liknes. Police said before the bail hearing that, even if Garland is released, he will remain a person of interest.
CTV's Katie Simpson reports that Garland must reside in some sort of "transitional housing,” which may be a hotel, motel or some form of shelter. Garland must also follow "a list of restrictions about where he can live, curfew, and who he must check in with," Simpson tweeted from the scene.
Some of those restrictions include that Garland must stay in Alberta, surrender his passport (even though he said he doesn't have one) and has to stay at his temporary home between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Meanwhile, Calgary police officers are spending another day sifting through trash at a landfill as the search for the trio enters a 12th day. On Thursday, they completed their search of the East Calgary site and on Friday continued to work at the Spyhill site. Police have taken a few items to the lab for analysis.
"In this particular incident, shortly after the disappearance was reported, we made contact with the three landfill sites in Calgary and we asked that all refuse from the Calgary and surrounding area that goes to those three landfill sites be segregated off," said Kevin Brookwell of the Calgary Police Service.
Additional teams continue to search at and around a rural property north of the city in Airdrie owned by the Garlands. Officers are also asking nearby residents to check their properties for anything unusual. Police plan to continue searching that property indefinitely as more tips come in.
Simpson reported the Liknes family had a history of financial problems, with Alvin Liknes having to declare bankruptcy at least twice.
Brookwell said Thursday they are looking into a business connection between Garland and Alvin Liknes.
"There is some business issues that we are looking into. I can't get into specifics about what those are, who was involved, what they look like or how many people were involved but yes, we have investigators looking into those allegations that there was some business issues and we're dedicating a number of folks checking into that," said Brookwell.
Nathan and his grandparents have been missing since June 29. The Liknes’ had just wrapped up an estate sale at their home and Nathan was staying with them for a sleepover. When his mother went to pick him up the next day, all three family members were gone.
Garland is scheduled to appear in court again next Aug. 6.
