Vader remains in custody, police continue to investigate

Travis Edward Vader, who has been identified as a person of interest by the RCMP in the McCann investigation on Friday, July 16, 2010, is seen in this undated RCMP handout photo.

The RCMP continue to investigate and question who they say is a person of interest in the disappearance of Lyle and Marie McCann of St. Albert. Investigators focused on a rural home where Travis Edward Vader was arrested Monday.

Vader was expected to make his first appearance in court Tuesday morning, but his lawyer appeared instead.

Vader, along with an unnamed man, was arrested Monday following an early morning raid at a rural residence near Niton Junction. The unnamed man has since been released from custody and has not been charged. Police have not released the individual's name.

Vader's lawyer told court that he no longer wanted to represent him Vader was scheduled to appear in Edson court to speak to the charge of possession of stolen property, which was laid last November.

The judge allowed the lawyer to go speak with his client at the Edson RCMP detachment before being let off the case.

The couple from St. Albert left for Chilliwack, B.C. on July 3, 2010 and have not been seen or heard from since.

Police are still trying to piece together clues that may lead them to the missing couple.

"Well it's kinda like a jigsaw puzzle, and our job as investigators is to collect the different pieces of the puzzle so we can see the big picture. This is one part of the puzzle that we are looking at so we are making progress in the investigation," said Sgt. Tim Taniguchi with the RCMP.

The McCann's burned-out motor home was found on July 5th near the Minnow Lake campground approximately 35 kilometres southeast of Edson. On July 16th, their SUV was located deep in the bush about 30 kilometres east of Edson near Carrot Creek.

During the course of the investigation, RCMP and law enforcement officials received more than 130 tips on the whereabouts of Vader and more than 170 tips on the couple and the location of their vehicles.

Police still would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the McCann's 2006 Hyundai Tucson, licence plate ZPK 289, during the period of July 5th to the 16th.

Police say Vader is scheduled to appear in an Edmonton courtroom on July 27 to answer to the warrants he was picked up on unrelated to the McCann investigation.

With files from David Ewasuk